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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28159017">After the War: Healing</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/felixestlechat/pseuds/felixestlechat'>felixestlechat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Brotp, Healing, Multi, Post-Book 7: Kingdom of Ash, Spoilers for Book 7: Kingdom of Ash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:07:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28159017</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/felixestlechat/pseuds/felixestlechat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"Never forget that </i>  everything <i> has a price." </i> </p><p>Two weeks after the last book, the war has ended once and for all. But, <i> at what cost? </i> </p><p>**All characters and worlds, except the ones I create, belong to the rightful owner. No profit intended, and I do not own the original book series.**</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aedion Ashryver &amp; Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien, Aedion Ashryver/Lysandra, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien &amp; Fenrys, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien &amp; Lorcan Salvaterre, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien &amp; Lorcan Salvaterre &amp; Fenrys Moonbeam, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Elide Lochan/Lorcan Salvaterre, Fenrys &amp; Lorcan Salvaterre</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first fanfic so no hate please! I'm new to writing. But, I welcome constructive criticism!</p><p>Also, this is set before the epilogue of the last book.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> “Aelin, my sweet dear niece, don’t you see the beautiful city of Orynth? What could’ve been sweetheart? It could still be you know, all you have to do is give me one word, just one simply measly little word, can you do that for me?” Maeve purred a snake’s caress. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Aelin thought about it, about how wonderful it would be to have her people freed again, about how amazing and beautiful Maeve was, about--.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “No!” She screamed, this was just another one of Maeve’s illusions. It wasn't real. It wasn’t real. It. Wasn’t. Real.  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> “Niece, I’m disappointed in you.” Maeve smiled an adder’s smile, “Well, Cairn, you know what to do, don’t you?” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Cairn approached with a grin of pure cruelty. Step by agonizing step. Closer and closer and--.  </em>
</p>
<p>Aelin gasped and woke up to the face of Ren Allsbrook. A nightmare. Just another nightmare. She pushed back and slowed her breathing, well aware that all the fae in the room could hear her heart beating erratically. </p>
<p>Where was she? Right, she was in the middle of a meeting with her inner circle discussing what to do with the rebuilding of the city.</p>
<p>Someone passed her a glass of water, which she gratefully took, she looked up and saw Lord Lorcan out of all the people looking concerned at her! She must’ve done something really bad this time if <em> even he </em> was worried. She swallowed hard and tried to think of what she could have possibly done during that dream. Did she scream? No, she couldn’t have. Could she? </p>
<p>She looked around her at everyone, raising one eyebrow to the unspoken question. It was Ren who answered her.</p>
<p>“You were fine, but you suddenly just passed out, and you start writhing in your seat li-like you were being tortured or something” he shuddered at the word tortured.</p>
<p>To this everyone in the room looked away, not meeting Aelin’s eyes. She had to find a way to settle this, to make everyone believe her to be okay. </p>
<p>“Well, were you all worried for me? Which one of you males pissed your pants?” She drawled, leaning back into her throne-like chair. </p>
<p>Fenrys blinked at her five times: <em> This is real, you are awake.  </em></p>
<p>Aedion said quietly, “We can take a break right now, I think that we’ve done more than enough for today,”</p>
<p>An offer but a lie all the same. They had much more to do, today’s meeting hadn’t even covered half off all the topics they were supposed to discuss.</p>
<p><em> Fireheart, you should rest, I can handle things from here. </em> Rowan said in that silent way that only he could, having read the concerns in her eyes. </p>
<p>“Rest. You’ve done more than enough already. As your blood-sworn, I can handle things from here.” Lorcan commanded bluntly as the commander that he was. An order in her best interests but an order all the same. Fenrys bared his teeth, having heard the order as well but did nothing more having seen the order from Aelin’s eyes. He would not act without her command. </p>
<p>Ren having not been filled in about what happened during the war looked slightly confused. Eyes darting between all the males in the room, who were glaring in the way that only an immortal could. </p>
<p>They’ve managed to keep Aelin’s capture a secret for the most part, only the select few people that Aelin told knew. But news would spread; like it always does.</p>
<p>Aelin sighed. “At this rate, the moment I leave this room, you’re all going to start pissing on my furniture,”</p>
<p>All the males looked at her slightly bemused. </p>
<p>“Why ever would you think that my dear queen?” responded Fenrys with a smirk.</p>
<p>Aelin threw up her hands in the air and said “ You’re all staring at each other like you want to rip out each other’s throats!”</p>
<p>Slight chuckles arose from around the room, tensions still high in the air.</p>
<p>“Majesty…” Lorcan said quietly, a plea, a plea to go and rest.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright, but let’s wrap this meeting up first,” </p>
<p>Lorcan looked like he was going to argue but thought better of it, smart male as all of the fae in the room looked ready to start feasting on him for dinner.</p>
<p>They finished the rest of the meeting several hours later having decided on many different things regarding what to do with the city. The rest of the court took their exits shortly after, Lorcan and Fenrys staying behind. Elide and Rowan going ahead having seen the nods from their partners. </p>
<p>Aelin stayed in her seat and watched the two males. Fenrys by the door, looking weary and unsure at Lorcan. Hands besides his weapons ready to take Lorcan on should he decide to hurt his queen. Lorcan was watching her as she watched him. Aelin decided to break the silence first.</p>
<p>“Well, well, well, to what do I owe the pleasure to you lovely males,” her eyes roving up and down their bodies in a way that she knew they hated. </p>
<p>Lorcan got out of his seat and walked toward her until he was besides her. Aelin looked at him curiously, wondering what he was going to do next. Lorcan got to his knees and bowed, with forehead flat to the ground. A gasp sounded through the room, clearly Fenrys had not expected this either. Aelin sat in shock, it was not everyday that she was surprised, but Lorcan Salvaterre, now Lorcan Lochan, was not someone that she expected to ever bow before her. She was dreaming, she must be dreaming. Lorcan simply could not be bowing to her like that. </p>
<p>Aelin stilled. “What are you doing?” her voice coming out cold and not at all like her own. </p>
<p>Forehead still pressed to the ground, he spoke: “My queen, you have been my queen since the day I met you although I did not know it at the time. I have made many mistakes in the past and I have never regretted them as I do now. Let me prove my allegiance to you. Blood oath or no, you are the one that I will serve ‘till the end of my days. I serve you Aelin Gal--.” </p>
<p>“Lorcan, stop.” The male stilled, stopping mid-sentence in his speech of undying loyalty.</p>
<p>He opened his mouth a couple of times but no sounds came out. Aelin realized then that she used the blood oath without even realizing it. A strangled sound came out of her throat, she had promised that she would never use the blood oath against them. She released Lorcan but he stayed still for seconds longer.</p>
<p>Aelin pressed her hand to her mouth, “I’m sorry, gods Lorcan, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize. I didn’t mean to,” she said, the last part coming out as a sob. </p>
<p>Lorcan was beside her in an instant having come out of his kneeling position. </p>
<p>“Use the blood oath on me whenever you wish, majesty”</p>
<p>Aelin’s sobs broke into slight laughs. “Is this your idea of some sort of self-penance?”</p>
<p>“I do not mind it so much when it is you who hold the leash,” he replied, not answering her question. From the look in his eyes, he knew as much.</p>
<p>Aelin smiled a slight smile, a sad and tired one, with the wisdom of centuries in her eyes. She leaned forward until she put both her hands on the sides of Lorcan’s cheeks. A test, a test of trust. One move and Lorcan would be dead, his neck snapped from his body with only one swift move of her hands. Lorcan’s breathing caught for a moment, barely perceptible but stayed still, letting his queen decide his fate. Aelin turned his head to face her, looking him in the eye, she said “You owe me nothing Lorcan, you don’t need to punish yourself for anything,”</p>
<p>Before Lorcan could nod or say anything, she was gone, already out the room and down the hall. The door had been opened by Fenrys. He sighed through his nose and stood up and made to follow her. But before he could, Fenrys closed the door gently and stood before it. Lorcan waited. Fenrys crossed his arms and leaned back against the door, he sighed a loud heavy sigh as if dreading what is to come. </p>
<p>“Connall’s dead,” </p>
<p>Lorcan nodded having already guessed as much.</p>
<p>“He was killed by Maeve, she forced him through the blood oath to stab himself through the heart with a dagger,”</p>
<p>Lorcan stilled, he knew that Connall had been killed badly, but never like this. He knew that the male before him was not finished with the horrors that he planned to tell so he waited, keeping a carefully blank expression across his face.</p>
<p>“It was a little over one month after they took Aelin, everyday had been the same for her, even when she was asleep and healing from her last injury. But that day, they took her outside for the first time. They needed five males. Five, Lorcan, to hold her down. Five males and a hostage. Cairn threatened to slit my throat if she made a move to run. She didn’t, they had put a bag over her head so that she couldn’t see where we were going. It would’ve been pointless of course but the temptation. Gods Lorcan, the temptation wouldn’t been terrible, I don’t think that even I could’ve resisted it. They brought her to the dais, the one where Maeve likes to hold court outside, made her kneel in glass forged by the dragons of the south and placed the crown of Mab atop her head. It was all to mock her, but she didn’t so much as wince. After. After, that was where he died, atop the dais. But before he did, he said things, terrible things to me, to her. And after, he fell, his blood pooled in an endless current around him. So, that’s how it happened.”</p>
<p>The male stared at Lorcan straight in the eye, there were no tears in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Why are you telling me this?” he kept his face blank, even though there was an ocean of emotions beneath the mask. This was how he survived so long, by showing no emotions. Others might think that he had no emotions, but he did like everyone else, he was just better at hiding it than most. </p>
<p>The other male chuckled, a dead and hollow one. “Aelin thought that I should talk to you about what happened.”</p>
<p>Lorcan was shocked, out of everyone he expected the young queen to suggest it would not have been him.</p>
<p>Fenrys having read or guessed--more likely the latter--the thoughts in his head said the next part more quietly.</p>
<p>“She offered of course, but she already has enough things on her plate and I just didn’t want to talk about this with her,” the young wolf looked outside the window at the sky. There was a full moon in the night and said the next part more quietly. Had Lorcan not seen Fenry’s mouth moving, he would’ve thought that he imagined it. “She said that you wouldn’t judge, that you wouldn’t pity me for what happened, that even if there was a torrent of emotions beneath your mask, you wouldn’t show them. She said that you’d listen, that you’d listen and not talk, that you wouldn’t try and console me with useless little comments. So, I guess here I am, talking to my commander about my dead twin brother,” he said the last part more bitterly than he meant to. </p>
<p>Lorcan was shocked, but he didn’t let it show on his face, because everything that the queen had told the wolf was true. He knew there was more that Fenrys wasn’t telling him but the fact that he was willing to tell him this much already, touched him more than he was willing to admit. He didn’t know what to say next, so he said nothing. Fenrys looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for a reaction, when he got none, he said softly,</p>
<p> “I never got to say the things I wanted to before it was too late, I was in my wolf form when Connall died and I pushed Gavriel away after what happened. I don’t want to make the same mistakes again, but I’m also not willing to forgive you just yet for what happened.”</p>
<p>Lorcan nodded, expecting as much. </p>
<p>“Can we start slow? I know we were never friends before, and we were only brothers because we were forced to, but I--I want us to become brothers, and if that doesn’t work out, I want us to become friends. We’re both sworn to the same queen again, from now until death and beyond. I know emotions aren't really your thing, but can we try?” </p>
<p>Fenrys sounded so, so hopeful. Lorcan realized then that he has never seen Fenrys show any signs of weakness. But he found that he respected the male more for showing parts of himself and with that thought in mind, he met his brother-in-arms eyes and nodded. Maybe showing emotions wasn't so much a weakness as it was a strength.</p>
<p>Fenrys smiled, a slow hopeful smile. “Well, are you going to come join us for dinner?” he smirked, back to his usual self. </p>
<p>“You go ahead, I just need a moment,” Fenrys nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind him as he went.</p>
<p>Lorcan walked towards the window and looked outside to the plains of kingsflame in the night shining like little beacons of hope. He sighed, a long heavy sigh. He was a male over five centuries old, and yet for the life of him, he did not know what to do about Fenrys--or Aelin for that matter. </p>
<p>The queen was wrong, he owed her so, so much. Her and Fenrys and the rest of her--his--damn court.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I also realized that I took liberties with the timing. So in this fanfic, the kingsflame will bloom directly after Aelin's coronation--before winter is over. This chapter takes place around two or three weeks after all of her allies has left and the war had ended.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the next few days, the entire court of Terrasen was busy with the rebuilding of the country after the war. There was just so much to do, from making new alliances to foreign courts--and maintaining the old ones--to organizing the training for both the Bane and the new magic school that was going to be hosted right next to the castle of Orynth. It didn’t help that it was in the middle of winter and the fact that Perranth was conquered during the war. Of course, it was no longer conquered but its people were still healing, and with the storms of winter in the mix, the long awaited Lady of Perranth could not return to her people just yet. </p><p>The court of Terrasen was so busy in fact that they could barely take the time to sit down with each other for a meal. And at night, they were simply too tired to do anything <em> other </em> than go directly to bed to sleep.</p><p>This was good, for Aelin, for Fenrys, for Lorcan even. Good, that they did not have the time to think and examine what happened during the war. Good, that it kept the nightmares at bay during the day and at night. Good, to keep busy, to throw yourself into work just so you wouldn’t have to think. And these days, there was a lot of work. Fenrys, who despite being ambassador, was forced to stay sedentary throughout the winter storms. </p><p>If you were an outsider, you could see the toll it took on the people in the court. Each and everyone of them had their own nightmares to contend with. You could see how when the entire court did not sit down together to eat meals, there was no one to remind them to take meals, so they didn’t. There was no one to remind them to take care of themselves, if you had seen Aelin then, you would’ve seen the strain it took, for her to stay in the present everyday. </p><p>Luckily, there was someone in the court who watched it all happen, watched as the Queen of Terrasen, who was like a daughter to him, went without meals day after day after day. Watched when the Queen would sometimes stare off in the distance looking at nothing for hours on end, watched as she sometimes rubbed her wrists as if there had once been something <em> other </em> than pretty jewelry on her wrists as there was now. He watched, watched it all happen and unfold before him. But, he could not stand it, he watched when Murtaugh ran out onto the fields that day, unfearing and knowing what would come next. Watched as The Thirteen flew out, watched the misery it brought upon the Witch Queen. Weylan Darrow had seen the body of his lover, had cried when he was buried, had fought for Terrasen with everything he was and everything he had, and he had watched it fall: the court, the children, the magic. All gone in an instant. He would not stand by and watch as the Queen of Terrasen starved herself to death. Would not watch as the court of Terrasen fell once again. The people needed her, the court needed her, the kingdom needed her. And if he was being honest to himself--which rarely happened-- <em> he </em>needed her. And so he made a plan and decided to confront the fire-breathing-b!tch-queen herself, the princess--now queen--with one hell of a temper. Even if she decided to kill him for it.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Aelin was in the throne room in deep discussion with her cousin about how they should organize events like the Assemblies--an event for the people of Terrasen to express their concerns, desires and other things to their queen or king--her uncle, the former king, once held. When they were interrupted by a knock at the door.</p><p>Aedion, who was perched on the arm of her throne looked quite annoyed at the interruption as they had just finished deciding that no in fact they would not decorate the windows in red--to represent her fire--for it looked too much like the colours of their neighbors down south. </p><p>He called out, “Come in,” voice filled with agitation.</p><p>Aelin leaned back into her throne wondering who it could be. Her inner circle would not usually knock before entering, and the scent of the person at the door did not smell like anyone that she knew. But, she supposed she shouldn’t cross that option off the list just yet because she was not fully accustomed to the scents of everyone around her, she still often mixed them up--that is, everyone but her mate. She normally does not notice one’s scent and she realized then how stupid that would be indeed not to use one of the skills in her very big arsenal. Perhaps she should take up Rowan on his offer to train her with her “new” fae abilities. </p><p>The door opened, there was no hint of fear in the air, <em> interesting </em> . And it was none other than Lord Weylan Darrow. Had it not been the years of assassin training from Arobynn, her jaw might’ve formed a perfect ‘O’ as her cousin was doing now. Her cousin, having realized what he was doing quickly recovered, but not before Darrow noticed his shock. As it was her breathing still snagged slightly, not noticeable to anyone but the best fae warriors. Darrow had never seeked her out privately, during meetings he usually did his best to stay out of her way. She supposed that she should’ve tried harder to establish connections but it was hard to, with everything being so busy at the moment. Later, she decided. Later, she would try and forge new relations within her court when everything was ‘settled’, <em> whenever that’ll be. </em> </p><p>Darrow bowed after closing the door behind him, he did not want to be overheard, <em> interesting </em>. Aelin kept her face carefully blank, her cousin doing the same beside her. Darrow stared at her with sorrow in his eyes after straightening up. Silence fell. Complete and utter silence. Aelin was content to keep this staring contest up had it been only her and Darrow, but as it was, Aedion looked very uncomfortable and Aelin decided to spare him.</p><p>“Can we help you with anything? If you intend to stare at me, I’m sure I can arrange for a portrait of myself for you to gawk at.” she said the last part with more amusement then she felt at the moment. </p><p>“You’re not eating enough, you’re not sleeping enough,” he waited for her to react.</p><p>Aelin waited for him to continue, knowing that he was not done, she understood now why his eyes were filled with sorrow. Had her temper really been that bad? Clearly it was bad enough for Darrow to think that she would try and kill him. Her heart sank at the thought.</p><p>When Aelin showed no reaction, he continued faster, as if to get it all out before she struck. “Your people need you, you can’t take care of them if you can’t take care of yourself first. I don’t know what happened during the war, I don’t know what kind of nightmares you battle each day within yourself, I don’t know what you’ve been through. But, I want to be there for you, I promised your parents--your uncle too--that I would always help and support you, and I regret to admit that I failed terribly in that respect. But, you can’t keep on ignoring your problems or it’ll get worse over time, you need to sleep and eat. You need to take care of yourself.” He said the last part so fast that it was almost hard to follow--keyword here, almost. </p><p>A few beats of silence fell after he finished. Then a loud <em> thump </em> sounded behind the door. Darrow spun to face whoever it was, ready to attack the intruder to defend his queen. But it was not needed, the intruder was Fenrys with hands up in a placating way. He had dropped a box of papers and from the look on his face, he had heard what Darrow said. He bent down to gather up the box back in his arms. </p><p>“The information you requested about foreign kingdoms, majesty.” Fenrys bowed at the neck before approaching her throne.</p><p>“Thank you, Fenrys, I’m sure this will be helpful when making connections with them,” she replied after receiving the box, she always said thank you to her blood-sworn, especially after she realized that they had probably never heard a word of thanks from Maeve. </p><p>“Darrow’s right,” she looked up to find Lorcan in the still open doorway.</p><p>“Does everyone in my court intend to spy on every little snippet of conversation?” she didn’t have the energy to make her remark to sound anything other than bored. </p><p>Lorcan, ignoring her said again, “Darrow’s right, you haven’t been taking care of yourself lately,”</p><p>“And you would know because you’re an expert on emotions?” she replied blandly.</p><p>“I don’t need to be an expert to see when something’s bothering my queen,”</p><p>“Do you plan on making another speech about your undying loyalty to me?”</p><p>Since Darrow and Aedion had not been there when this happened, they looked mildly confused and amused at the same time from her comment. Darrow still looked a few shades paler from the sudden appearance of both fae warriors. </p><p>But, Lorcan just smirked and started to kneel saying, “Do you want me to? My queen?”</p><p>“No, I should not care for another declaration of loyalty from you, once is already more than enough to stop my heart,” turning back to Darrow she said, “Is there anything else you would like to add?”</p><p>It was Fenrys who interrupted her this time, “I agree with Darrow,”</p><p>“You agree with Lorcan? Well, is that a first?” she stated with clear annoyance, reining in her temper so that she wouldn’t burn everyone in her vicinity. </p><p>“Yes, I do because he’s right,”</p><p>Aelin sucked in a breath to keep the words from coming out of her mouth since she knew she would regret them later. But that didn’t stop them from circling in her head, <em> hypocrite, hypocrite, especially since you aren’t doing any better than me. </em></p><p>She closed her eyes and listened to her water magic--a gift from her mother. She unclenched her fists--realizing only then that they were clenched--and let her breath out. </p><p>When she was sure her voice would come out even she said, “I’ll keep that in mind. Is that all?”</p><p>From the looks of everyone in the room, it was plain that they had all expected her to argue or fight or<em> something </em>--other than what she was doing now. She really needed to work on her temper. </p><p>“Dinner’s in a couple of hours, I’ll see you then. For now, I should take a look at the documents that Fenrys gave me. I’ll make sure to rest and take care of myself, we can finish our discussion tomorrow Aedion.” she stood and left the room carrying the box.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>When the queen had left the room, everyone stood there in shock for a couple of minutes. Lorcan was not often surprised but he’s learned to not listen to his assumptions about the queen since the queen seemed intent on proving him wrong. Every. Damn. Time.</p><p>“Well, that went well,” And Lorcan felt inclined to agree with the general--the Lion’s son, but what he said instead was directed at the young wolf.</p><p>“You need to rest as well Fenrys, you look as if you’ve been up all night and starving yourself, you look little better than our queen.”</p><p>Fenrys looked very irritated at Lorcan’s comment, “Whatever, I don’t need some ‘Daddy Lorcan’ to tell me how to take care of myself,” and walked out the door following the Queen.</p><p>When Fenrys left--and was out of earshot, Aedion let out a low whistle. </p><p>“You’ve got absolutely no tact buddy.”</p><p>Lorcan who was already annoyed at the outcomes of both Aelin and Fenrys, glared, “Maybe it would’ve helped if you backed me up, <em> General, </em>”</p><p>Aedion, ignoring the jab chuckled, “You and Darrow dear, both have absolutely no tact whatsoever,”</p><p>“Well, what would you suggest? You can’t seriously disagree with me, your cousin is an absolute wreck,”</p><p>Aedion sobered up at his comment and said, “Don’t <em> ever </em> call my cousin a wreck again, especially since she’s the reason your sorry a*s is still here today. I know my cousin, and I know that...” He gestured around himself, “She did everything that she did for this to happen, for me, and for you. There are some things that you do not see with your eyes, but with your heart. You do not know the extent of what she went through, so <em> you don’t </em> get to be mad at her for not taking care of herself.”</p><p>Lorcan crossed his arms and rolled his eyes and said, “Always loyal to a fault, just like your father,”</p><p>Aedion clenched his hands into fists but stopped himself from going any farther, it would not do to spill blood so soon in the throne room. </p><p>He gritted the next part out through his teeth, “Has she ever told you what Endovier was like for her? Has she ever told you the lengths and extremes of Arobynn’s training? Has she ever told you the stories of her scars? Have you ever wondered <em> how </em> she became friends with all her allies? Why do you think Ansel was so willing to give everything up for her? No, she hasn’t told you and no you haven’t wondered, so I suggest <em> Lord, </em>keep those comments to yourself next time.”</p><p>After saying his part, Aedion turned promptly on his feet and walked out of the room. Silence fell once again, Lorcan looked towards the other lord and saw the same realizations he had upon his face. No, they didn’t know what had happened, no they never wondered. But, there had to be a reason, normal people did not give everything up that willingly for no reason. And he would bet all the gold in the world, that whatever story it was, it wouldn’t be a happy one. </p><p>He was a fool, he was several centuries old and yet he needed to hear the remarks of someone only a couple of decades old to realize his mistakes. He had never wondered, he never knew. The general’s words haunted his mind even several hours after he had said them and even in his dreams, he heard his voice: <em> Has she ever told you? Have you ever wondered? </em></p><p>Lorcan had failed--yet again--in his plan to try and help his queen and brother. </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! Another chapter update for today. Thank you to everyone who commented!! It was really amazing and encouraging! I definitely plan on continuing with this story. I'm going to try and update at least once per week (but I'm sorry if it takes longer). </p><p>This story is mostly to improve my writing but it's also because I just can't get these stories out of my head!!! lol. </p><p>Also sorry for the typos (if there are any, the place where I write things keeps autocorrecting things).</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Despite Fenrys saying that he wanted them to be friends, he had made no further move to do so. And although Lorcan was eager to establish relations between them, he did not know how to, so he didn’t. </p><p>Over the next few weeks, you could be sure to find the Queen of Terrasen at dinner. She had made it a point to show up to at least one meal each day. And despite the amount of work needed to be done, she had also made sure to get enough sleep each night. The change was quite visible, the colour returned to her cheeks and her smile was as warm and bright and Mala’s sun shining down upon them. </p><p>The winter storms soon passed and although there was a good three-feet of snow, Fenrys travelled to various kingdoms to make trade negotiations and alliances and to do other ambassador things. Aelin had told Fenrys that he could wait out the winter until spring arrives before travelling out, but with the rest of the court restless and eager to make trade with foreign courts, Fenrys had declined. </p><p>As Fenrys was one of the most powerful fae in the world, the other courts were keen on impressing him and agreeing with him. It helped that he was blood-sworn to the Queen of Terrasen, whom they’ve heard is powerful enough to fell armies before her by herself. Aelin Galathyinus’s name was already being whispered about in various forms all across the world, from bedtime stories to bonfires. You would need to really live ‘under a rock’, to not have heard of how she gathered an army strong enough to defeat the Valg King and Queen. Every man, woman and child, fae, human or otherwise had heard of her flames and wrath, of her courage and bravery, or her fairness and strength. She was not known to be kind or likeable--like queens are supposed to be. No, she was known to be a warrior--and a powerful one at that.</p><p>And so, Fenrys had returned rather quickly from the various trips that he made, securing everything that was necessary. His latest trip had been to the kingdom of Ellywe, he had just returned home with a letter in hand from it’s royal family accepting the invitation to come visit Terrasen.</p><p>Every time Fenrys left, Aelin made sure to see him off and every time he returned, she was the first to greet him home. What they did not however do was say goodbye, they had been through enough goodbyes to last ten lifetimes in the past six months. Aelin did this because again, Maeve never had. </p><p>The next morning, Aelin walked into the dining hall hand in hand with Rowan, still beaming from the letter they had received last night from Nehemiah’s family. However, upon spotting Nox’s--who was appointed her spymaster after the war--face, pale and drawn taut. Her smile immediately fell. She knew what was coming, had expected and planned for it to come, but still she could not help but wish that it didn’t have to. </p><p>Nox glanced at her back to her wrists. Aelin rolled up her sleeves, showing how all of her former scars were gone. </p><p>Aedion, being the general as always, asked Nox, “Where and how long ago?”</p><p>“I heard it from one of our spies this morning, our source came from Suria by the ocean. They heard about it a week ago.”</p><p>Aelin nodded and faced Rowan asking the silent question that she knew he could read in her eyes.</p><p>
  <em> How long do we have before news spreads? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I don’t know fireheart, but with news of this quality, I’d say a week, two at best. </em>
</p><p>She nodded, showing no emotion. </p><p>Fenrys blinked at her three times: <em> Are you okay? </em></p><p>One blink, <em> yes </em> . <em> Are you okay? </em></p><p>A pause then, <em> yes. </em></p><p>Aelin looked back towards Rowan reading the thoughts in his eyes.</p><p><em> We can do things to keep what happened with Maeve a secret if you want. </em>In other words, kill everyone that heard--or erase their memories. Aelin thought about it, it was tempting, but she couldn’t do what Maeve had done to so many. So, she shook her head.</p><p>Normally by this time someone in her court would’ve asked her to stop leaving them out of the conversation, but with something as high stakes as this, they didn’t dare so much as breathe too loudly from the deadly look on Rowan’s face. </p><p>Aloud, Aelin declared, mostly for the benefit of the people in her inner circle, “We do nothing about the news, this changes nothing, we already knew that it was going to spread anyways.”</p><p>The rest of the lords and ladies looked very confused and waited for her to continue.</p><p>Aelin took her seat at the head of the table, Rowan following suit. She filled her plate with food and took a bite before speaking to the rest of the court of Terrasen.</p><p>“During the war, many things happened, if I gave you exactly what happened point by point, we’d be here all day for several days. So, I’m not going to do that. I’m going to give you a brief summary. After I left Skull’s Bay, I went to the beach of Ellywe. There, I was trapped by Maeve in an impossible situation. In the best of times, I could’ve taken down four maybe five fae warriors but it wasn’t. There were a little less than a dozen of the best fae males in the world there that day, and my magic was depleted, I might’ve collapsed for days were it not for the situation at hand. And even so, there were other things in the mix, Maeve intended to destroy the army from Melisande and the Wastes and I couldn’t let her do that so I surrendered. I was her prisoner for a couple of months before they,” she gestured around her, “found me.”</p><p>There was silence after what she said. Darrow looked at her like she had grown two heads or something. Aedion glared at Lorcan, clearly not ready to forgive him for what he did that day. And Nox, looked sad, as if he had expected as much but was not ready for the truth from the queen before him. </p><p>Fenrys blinked four times: <em> I am here, I am with you. </em></p><p>Aelin blinked back once. <em> Yes. </em></p><p>“Well, if there’s no questions, then we can get on with our day, but you should expect to hear news of this in a week or so. Just thought I would warn you beforehand.”</p><p>The court was still shocked but recognizing the dismissal as it was, they bowed and swiftly left. Only Darrow stayed behind seated next to his young heir, Evangeline. </p><p>When the door had closed behind the last person, he got up and bowed, deeply. </p><p>“Thank you, for everything, I didn’t recognize it that day in the tavern but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Thank you for everything.”</p><p>Aelin only nodded. And Darrow left.</p><p>The rest of her inner circle left shortly after, only Lorcan stayed behind. </p><p>When they were well out of earshot, he spoke, “You didn’t say that it was me who betrayed you.”</p><p>Aelin nodded.</p><p>“Why?” </p><p>She shrugged. “We all make mistakes sometimes, like you said,”</p><p>Lorcan was about to open his mouth to say something--what he didn’t know, when she interrupted.</p><p>“Can I braid your hair?”</p><p>Had Lorcan not had centuries of training, he might have fallen out of his chair. Out of all the things he had expected this b!tch--he still maintained that she was a b!tch despite acting otherwise--to say, it would not have been this.</p><p>“Why do you want to braid my hair?”</p><p>“Because Rowan doesn’t let me, so I usually do it in his sleep, but his hair is too short to have much fun.”</p><p>She was a b!tch, a complete and utter b!tch, because for the life of him, he did not know how to refuse her. Maybe he was going soft, though that’s probably because of Elide. Maybe she taught him that it’s okay to not always be on guard. He sighed inwardly, just what he needed, another thing to owe this queen of--what he didn’t know. <em> His </em>queen, from now until death. </p><p>She continued interrupting his tirade of thought. </p><p>“You said that you wanted to serve me Lorcan, well you could serve me by satisfying my need to braid hair--other people’s hair.” she smirked like a lion prowling a rabbit in a snare. </p><p>Again, Lorcan hated her, hated her and every soul of her being, hated her damn court, and kingdom because he was a male of over five countries old and yet. And yet, he could not refuse this spoiled little brat. He could not refuse. He knew that she wasn’t using the blood oath on him and that she wasn’t influencing him in any way, but for the life of him, he could not refuse this assassin turned queen. <em> His </em> assassin turned queen. Maybe it was out of guilt, after her cousin, after seeing her bloodied on the beach, after seeing Rowan go to the end of the world in search of her. Out of guilt! How ridiculous is that? He was Lorcan Salvaterre for god's sake and he was doing something out of guilt. How Maeve would laugh at him. But. But, Maeve was dead, killed by the one before him and the world was all the better for it. </p><p>He sighed a long deep sigh knowing that he would later regret what he was going to say next. </p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>She smirked like she knew everything that just went through his head, and knowing her she probably did--or at least had guessed, <em> very accurately </em>.</p><p>She called for a maid to bring them supplies and when the maid returned with them, she started to brush his hair out. Humming all the time. Lorcan listened, she was humming a piece that wasn’t happy, it wasn’t anything that he ever heard of. A lot of people didn’t know this but, Lorcan… Lorcan liked music, even enjoyed it. Fenrys would really have a laugh out of that if he ever heard. Lorcan, a stone-hearted bastard liking music, how ridiculous indeed! He wondered how many times in the next century that he’ll end up making a fool of himself.</p><p>She was humming a song, a song of hope. Of a future with peace and freedom. But, not without its cost. He wondered vaguely if she had constructed it herself. She continued humming when she started to braid his hair. And when the last braid was in place she stopped.</p><p>Tears pricked at Lorcan’s eyes. Fenrys would never let him hear the end of it if he saw him cry. Hell, the whole wide world would be talking about him crying for centuries if they ever heard. Aelin turned to gather up the supplies and started to get up and leave. And without realizing it, he reached out and grabbed her arm--gently. </p><p>Aelin turned back, there were indeed tears in her eyes as well. </p><p>“The song. The song, what was it called?” his voice sounded raspy, as if he hadn’t spoken in years. And maybe he hadn’t, not really, not after listening to her humming. She didn’t have a pretty voice by any means, but the song. The song was beautiful regardless of who sang it. </p><p>“The Stygian Suite.” she hesitated for a moment before continuing. “When I was younger, I used to go to the Royal Theatre in Rifthold every year. Every year, just to listen to Pytor, the conductor at the time, perform the Stygian Suite.”</p><p>“Where’s Pytor now? I’m sure we could get him to play in the Royal Theatre here, in Terrasen.”</p><p>She smiled a sad little smile. And Lorcan knew what was coming next even before she had said it, he had seen that smile many times in his lifetime--<em> too </em>many times. </p><p>“He was executed by Erawan, him and all of his musicians, for daring to play the songs of various conquered territories in front of the elite of Adarlan after the massacres of the slaves at the slave camps in Endovier and Calaculla.”</p><p>Lorcan breath caught in his throat. The man had known what he was doing, him and the rest of his orchestra. </p><p>Aelin continued to gather up the hair supplies. And Lorcan, not wanting her leave, for reasons beyond even him asked.</p><p>“Didn’t you say there was someone who helped you rescue Aedion during his execution?”</p><p>Aelin looked up, surprised. “I didn’t think you were paying attention when I was talking about those things.”</p><p>He was, if only for his own selfish reasons. </p><p>Aelin continued before he could speak. “Yes there was. Madam Florine. Pytor was her friend so she helped me. She realized who I was when she saw the similarities between me and Aedion. She said that she planned on coming back to me once the war was over. I was actually planning on asking Fenrys to go out and look for her.”</p><p>She looked thoughtful as she said the last part.</p><p>“Here,” she gave him a mirror.</p><p>He looked at his reflection and he couldn’t help but ogle himself for a bit. He had never put his hair up in braids before. And now, he couldn’t help but feel that he looked less intimidating. She had somehow made his hair make him look--kinder, nicer, perhaps those were the words. He still looked beautiful of course, though not nearly as pretty as Fenrys. But now, his hair made him look<em> like a lord</em>--like someone who’s honorable and chivalrous. Lorcan had thought that this b!tch intended to make him look a fool, but he didn’t. Though maybe he was a fool for thinking that of her. </p><p>He was the most powerful demi--he stopped himself before he had the chance to finish the rest of that miserable thought. </p><p>He sighed. He really and truly hated her, hated this woman--female before him, because for the life of him. He could not find a way to argue her goodness--or whatever this was. He hated the unknown, and this female was exactly that and more. He hated this new feeling of guilt, and it was because of her.</p><p>“Is something bothering you?”</p><p><em> Yes. </em>You’re making me feel guilty, I want to kill you but I can’t, you b!tch!</p><p>“No, the braid looks nice,” <em> Nice </em>, he laughed to himself, how stupid, nice doesn’t even cover the half of it.</p><p>“Well that’s good--.” she was interrupted by the voice of Fenrys walking through the door. Lorcan cursed. </p><p>“Aelin, I forgot to ask yo--.” the wolf stopped short when he saw the scene before him. He quickly took in Lorcan’s braids and the hairbrush in Aelin’s hands. </p><p>Eyes wide he stood there in shock for a few heartbeats.</p><p>Lorcan glared. “Don’t you dare--.” And was cut off by Fenrys laughing a floor rumbling laugh. </p><p>Fenrys then proceeded to laugh for a good two minutes before he started to--tried to--speak. </p><p>“Y-y-you’re h-h-hair! Lor-can!” He said choking between each word because he was laughing so hard. </p><p>And because he was laughing so hard. He stopped and started to gasp for breath. When it seemed he had finally calmed down, he took one look at Lorcan and laughed again. This cycle continued for at least a dozen times. And by the time Fenrys had stopped for good, Lorcan looked a bit like a “squashed” tomato. </p><p>Lorcan wanted to kill him, kill her, kill them both. For this ridiculousness, but Elide--now his wife--would not approve. So he steadied his breathing and sucked in breath after breath. The queen had joined Fenrys after the first two cycles--of laughing. </p><p>They now both had tears in their eyes. And just when Lorcan thought that it couldn’t get any worse, it did. </p><p>The rest of the court walked through the door. When they saw Aelin and Fenrys obviously trying very hard not to laugh at the look on Lorcan’s face--but fail miserably. They broke out into little giggles at first which turned into full out laughs. Lorcan’s only consolation at this point was the fact that at least it was just their friends and not the <em>entire court</em>. Elide was biting her lip and looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh. Hell, even Rowan was chuckling. </p><p>It might’ve gone on fine like this, if the young wolf had not tried to take things too far like he always did. </p><p>Fenrys patted Lorcan on the back, “Well, would you look at that, Lorcan has gone on all soft, one might think that he’s all wrapped around the finger of the witchling.”</p><p>Without realizing it, he stood and went to grab the younger male. Stupid fae instincts kicking in. It wasn’t so much the fact that he had said anything insulting, it was more the fact that he had spoken about Elide at all. Stupid fae instincts. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.</p><p>Lorcan might’ve really regretted what he was planning on doing next to that male with his fist raised in the air, had it not been for the fact that he tripped, let go of Fenrys and fell into his chair the very next instant. He looked to the source who had tripped him and found none other than Aelin Galathynius looking at him with a smirk. </p><p>He was really going to kill her. Wyrd save him. </p><p>Aedion smirked, “We heard laughter and thought that we would check out the source of it. Did you know, you guys were so loud that we heard you in the other wing of the castle?”</p><p>Lorcan just continued to glare.</p><p>Lysandra said between small chuckles, “You’re hair does look amazing though,”</p><p>“Well, I’m sure my dear blood-sworn needs some fresh air since he does look a bit like a smashed fruit. And trust me Lorcan, that tomato look,” Aelin tutted before continuing, “does not suit you.”</p><p>Lorcan decided then, that he really and truly hated her and the rest of her--now his--damn court for making him suffer through this indignity. </p><p>Elide, probably sensing his resolve to kill, hooked her small arm around his and guided him back to their room.</p><p>Needless to say however, the rest of them--especially Fenrys and the prick in the backside, Aedion--did not let him forget that incident, they seemed to take great pleasure in poking fun at him when he least expected it.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. *Extra Scene: Elorcan Wedding*</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! So, this isn’t really a chapter update for this story, but when I was writing, I realized that there was never a scene of Elide and Lorcan’s wedding. And since, I haven’t seen any fanfics about it, I thought that I’d give it a go. Hope you like it. </p><p>Also, I’ve never actually been to a wedding so sorry if any of the points are really inaccurate, I tried my best to do research on it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>It was only a week after the coronation of the Queen of Terrasen, and nearly two weeks after the war was over and Elide Lochan had asked Lorcan Salvaterre to marry her. It was a small party of only their dearest friends. Manon and the small court of Adarlan were there of course, as Yrene and Elide had grown close over the duration of the war. </p><p>They had decided that they wanted something simple so that it wouldn’t pressure anyone too much especially with the rebuilding after the war and the ongoing healing of the soldiers; both their own and the ones who were once valg possessed. It was quite busy after the war, with the reorganizing of the courts and the new laws that they would make, Elide didn’t want anyone to be any more stressed out than they already were. And Lorcan, felt that he owed it to his queen for that, since it was he who had forced her hand in marriage with Rowan that day on the ship. Not that they weren’t happy, but Aelin and Rowan never got the elaborate celebration that he knew Aelin would’ve liked. </p><p>They had decided that there would be no bridesmaids or groomsmen, since they didn’t want anyone to feel left out. Also, because they wanted to keep the wedding small, they couldn’t have <em> everyone </em>become bridesmaids and groomsmen. After they were officially wed, Lorcan would make the life-bond with Elide. </p><p>Their outfits would be simple which is just the way they liked it. Evangeline would be the ring bearer and Darrow would be the officiant. No one else outside of the inner court was invited, except for Ren Allsbrook who was set to become one of the members in Aelin’s circle. Although neither Elide nor Lorcan particularly liked Darrow, they had agreed to him being the officiant when he had offered, and as Elide had kept reminding Lorcan, they were a court of new beginning after all. And so, Lorcan had reluctantly agreed. </p><p>Their rings were made from the gold leftover after making Aelin’s crown--from the barrow weight troves. They were exquisite and yet modest, and if Lorcan was being honest with himself, he liked them very much especially since Elide was blatantly admiring them. Aelin had presented them to them when they realized that they had no rings, and that they would likely be unable to procure material enough for them in the next several months. </p><p>She insisted that they have it when Lorcan had felt unable to accept her generous gift, saying that she wouldn’t want anything less than the best for her blood-sworn. Lorcan’s eyes almost pricked with tears when she had said that, in all his years of serving Maeve, she had never done such a thing for any of them. Keyword there, almost. </p><p>And despite the fact that he still proclaims that she’s a b!tch, he can’t help but feel at least a little bit proud for serving her as her blood-sworn, she would indeed change the world for the better. And even though he cursed himself afterwards, he couldn’t help but admire her bravery and cunning and wisdom that ones who were centuries her age didn’t have. This wasn’t the type of admiration that was forced upon him through the blood oath and Maeve’s often was. No, this was the type of admiration out of his own free will. Which only made him admire her all the more. </p><p>Today was the day, the day that they were to be wed. Out of all of his centuries, he had never felt the same about any other women than he felt with Elide. The sun was bright in the sky after many days of stormy weather, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Aelin had willed it there by sheer force alone. In the morning while they were preparing for the wedding, Lorcan had been with what remained of his cadre--despite himself Aelin’s nickname had caught on, it made more sense after all than ‘powerful fae male warriors’ or ‘small army of six that is strong enough to fell cities by themselves’--and the Lion’s son, Aedion. He was quite surprised when Aedion had showed up wishing him well, he would’ve thought for sure that Aedion still resented him, after everything. But, he said simply when he noticed Lorcan’s curious gaze, that if Aelin and Fenrys and Rowan could forgive, he would try as well. Lorcan caught the unspoken words in his eyes, they had all lost <em> too </em>much during this war. But, with Aelin as queen, they could rebuild, they could heal, a better world indeed. </p><p>They were a new cadre he supposed, this time all willingly sworn to the same queen, not tricked, not deceived. He was surprised that the young general wasn’t as angry as he thought he would be when Aedion found out that Lorcan had sworn the oath to his cousin. Aedion was calmer now, more settled, Lorcan had heard of the lives that they lost during the war. Aedion was less jovial now--as was Fenrys--but Lorcan hoped that with time, that would change. How silly it was to hope, something that only the foolish believe in, but. But, perhaps Elide had shown him how important it was too. </p><p>Rowan had been a quiet presence by his side, as the prince always was in all the centuries Lorcan had known him. A comforting presence, a friend, yes, Lorcan had decided that was what Rowan was to him now. Fenrys had looked out the window watching the plains of Theralis, watching the place where Maeve fell, but. But, he was there, and although Lorcan didn’t want to admit it, he was glad for it; the wild and reckless presence that Fenrys had always had with him. It seemed that Lorcan was in for yet another surprise today, when he found Chaol and Dorian walking in the room. </p><p>“It’s a big day isn’t it?” Chaol asked.</p><p>Lorcan merely nodded. </p><p>“I won’t say that you’re nervous because I know how much you think that’s beneath you,” Dorian said with a wink. </p><p>A year ago, if you had told Lorcan that he would be wedded to a mortal girl, and that before the wedding he would find himself in the company of both demi-fae and mortal humans, whom he’s come to like, he might’ve laughed himself silly. But as it was, this was exactly what was happening in this instance. Oh, how he’s changed in the past year!</p><p>At last, Darrow walked in.</p><p>“Everything’s ready,” he said with a smile.</p><p>Lorcan nodded and despite himself, he <em> was </em> nervous. And from the slight smirk on Fenry’s face, he had noticed the change in Lorcan’s scent. But, instead of making a joke about it--as he would’ve normally expected Fenrys to do--Fenrys, clapped his hand on Lorcan back. About as close to a <em> congratulations! I’m happy for you! </em>Lorcan would probably ever get from Fenrys, they still had a tentative peace between them, and Lorcan hoped--once again--that it would become more later. </p><p>Rowan however said, “It’s about time you found love, brother,”</p><p>And Aedion simply nodded in agreement. </p><p>Lorcan was once again dressed in what Aelin liked to call burial black, and the rest of the males--and men--were dressed in varying shades of green, for Terrasen of course. </p><p>Lorcan made his way down to where the wedding would be held--the same place Aelin’s coronation was held, they didn’t have enough time to clean and prepare for another room, so much of the decoration was still from her coronation but neither Elide nor Lorcan cared very much for it. </p><p>He took a deep breath and entered the room, the rest of his friends following behind him. When he reached the end of the room--to where Evangeline stood with a wide smile, carrying a small pillow in her hands--he turned around to face the door,--the door that Elide would be entering through--and saw that the rest of his friends had found seats in the small procession. When he looked towards Dorian, he winked. </p><p>Ten excruciating minutes later, the rest of the procession entered. Aelin and Lysandra both giving him wide smirks, Yrene concealing a small smile behind her hand. Ren was giving Lorcan a look that said that trouble was going to come his way. Whatever they were planning, it couldn’t be good. Somehow, they were all wearing matching lilac gowns. Of course, of course, they would’ve coordinated their outfits. Each one of them was carrying a bouquet of flowers, and found seats beside their partners. </p><p>Finally, someone sort of hidden orchestra--that Aelin had probably organized--started playing music and Elide entered with Manon by her side. And,...</p><p><em> Holy burning hell, ten f*cking hells, </em> she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and in that moment, she was prettier than Fenrys. That shy little smile playing on her lips would’ve made him fall to knees had Darrow and Evangeline not been there to catch him. </p><p><em> Holy burning hell, </em>Lorcan was in trouble, so much trouble.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Two hours earlier, they had been in Elide’s room getting ready for the wedding. Aelin was doing her hair while Lysandra was doing her makeup--nothing too extravagant but,... Those two women could really bring hell down upon the world if they wanted to with their quick hands. And as there were no maids yet in the palace, everything would have to be done by themselves, but they were not the usual spoiled nobles, no, the two of them had grown up in the same hellhole and fooling everyone around them into believing what they wanted to see. </p><p>Sometimes the weakest of people were the most dangerous. They were the ones who are the best of actors, able to fool anyone, even the best of the best. </p><p>Manon regarded it all happen with a small smile on her lips as there had not been the last time Elide saw her. Aedion, Dorian and Chaol had all come by quickly to wish her well on her big day before moving onto Lorcan’s room. Elide was glad that Lorcan would be surrounded by friends before the wedding. Ren however, had stayed behind and quietly watched Elide, he had a look of sorrow in his eyes. They had all lost so much during the war, but they could also rebuild it all. </p><p>When Yrene had at last announced that they needed to leave or they'd be late, Aelin and Lysandra kissed Elide on the cheeks before departing. Yrene whispered words of encouragement then followed them out. Ren smiled a full smile this time and said softly--but not weakly.</p><p>“I’m glad that you found happiness Elide, you and Lorcan both, deserve all the happiness that the world has to offer.”</p><p>Elide replied, “One day Ren, one day you will find your match, your equal in every which way.”</p><p>Ren nodded with a small smile, and Elide knew that he didn’t really believe her--they had all suffered so much. </p><p>“One day Ren, believe me, you will,”</p><p>And with that Ren nodded again and left. </p><p>It was just Manon and Elide alone together in the room, Manon the witch who started it all, the reason why Elide was here. And knowing that no words that Elide could ever say to tell Manon how thankful she is of her. She walked up towards Manon and hugged her, Manon stiffened at first, but then folded into her hug </p><p>When they withdrew, Manon spoke. </p><p>“Well, witchling, are you ready?” offering out her arm.</p><p>And for perhaps what was the first time in Elide’s life, she was.</p><p>“Yes.” Voice full of certainty, she hooked Manon’s arm in her own. </p><p>And with that they proceeded to walk down to see Lorcan, where they were to be wed and Lorcan was to be life-bound to her. </p><p>Manon would be the one who walked her down the aisle as Elide had no family left to speak off, there had never been a woman to walk someone down the aisle, but, why not start new traditions? They were the court who rattled the stars after all. </p><p>When they walked into the room, music was playing by some hidden orchestra, but Elide only had eyes for Lorcan, he was the most beautiful fae male she had ever seen. When they walked up to where Lorcan was standing, he was smiling a full on grin. Probably the first that any of the others had ever seen from him. </p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>When Elide had walked into the room, everyone stood up for the groom and bride to be. Elide was wearing a beautiful stunning white dress made out of chiffon, her hair was down with the sides tied back with flowers and she had just the hint of make-up on her face. The witch beside her was wearing a very feminine dark blue suit. Simple, yet exquisite. Lorcan wouldn’t have it any other way. Elide was not carrying flowers like brides normally do, no instead it was the other ladies in their court who threw the flowers in the air, and was carried up by the wind--thanks to Rowan--the room was decorated with flowers floating in the air. And as if that wasn’t enough, flames curled in the candlesticks turning into various shades of colours that Lorcan had never seen fire do. It was truly a sight to be seen.</p><p>When Elide walked up--with a very pronounced limp, only because she had asked Lorcan not to help her with his magic--beside him, Lorcan had never been more proud of her, she the lady of Perranth was going to marry her. It was a dream, it was a dream come true. And yet it was real, Elide was real, their court was real. It was all real, this was really happening to Lorcan. And he could not help himself but grin like a stupid fool. He was happy, so very happy that they were to be wed. </p><p>Darrow spoke the vows and Elide repeated them, Evangeline was there and knelt giving Elide the ring that she would then place on Lorcan’s hand. Somehow, the queen had managed to get the size of their fingers just right. And then, it was Lorcan’s turn, he repeated after Darrow and slid the ring onto Elide’s finger.</p><p> It all happened in a blur, but it was the best and happiest moment in Lorcan’s life. No longer would he have to worry about losing someone because of Maeve, he was free, he was freer than he ever really was. No longer would he have to worry about being a demi-fae, about being scorned, no longer would he have to put his shield up all the time everyday. He was free, and he was happy, he was married to Elide Lochan.</p><p>When they kissed, they forgot everything and everyone around them. The kiss was everything Lorcan hoped for and more. It was perfect, when they turned around to face their friends--no, family--they were both grinning like fools. And despite their small party, their applause was loud enough to rattle the roof. It was perfect.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>The ceremony was perfect, it was everything that Elide had ever dreamed of in her tower for ten long years and better. Thanks to Aelin and Rowan’s magic, it was even more exceptional with all of the little additions that they had made. After their kiss, they had turned around to face the small gathering, Elide looked all around her. She was wrong, she had family, this was her family. Her family was the ones who were cheering them on like mad drunkards. Elide was so overcome by the realization that hit her, tears started flowing down her cheeks. Never, never had she expected this to ever happen to her. This was everything and more than the stories that her nursemaid had ever told her about. </p><p>She looked towards Lorcan and whispered.</p><p>“I love you, Lord Lorcan Lochan,”</p><p>He chuckled, “I love you too, Elide Lochan, Lady of Perranth,”</p><p>After they kissed again, and Lorcan whispered the words in the Old Language that would bind his life to hers. </p><p>Elide loved the sounds of each syllable that rolled off of Lorcan’s tongue in the Old Language. It was so beautiful that it was worthy of a song. A new court, a new beginning. </p><p>“To a better world,” Elide whispered so that only he would hear.</p><p>“To a better world, Elide” he replied and there were indeed tears in his eyes--if only for a second.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Although the Queen of Terrasen looked and acted much better. It would seem that she was only pretending. If you watched </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> closely, you could see how sometimes, just for a split second, she would flinch at some unbeknownst demon. A small detail that might’ve gone unnoticed if you weren’t watching </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> closely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, Lorcan Lochan was watching very closely. Especially after the general’s comment, he regarded the queen with more respect than he would’ve thought possibly--especially </span>
  <em>
    <span>after the hair braiding incident.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Which Aedion and Fenrys still would not stop making remarks about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan was now following his queen, very stealthy through the city. Normally, if he saw Aelin up to something, he would be far, far away. But today. Today, something was off. When the queen had shown up to breakfast earlier that day, he had known something was off. And though she pretended otherwise, Lorcan had known, deep in his bones that something was not right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why he was now stalking the b!tch through the city on rooftops. He made sure to cover his tracks and hide his scent well. It was after dark, and when he saw Aelin make some excuse about going for a walk, Lorcan had waited for an extra half hour before following her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he first tracked down Aelin, he had wondered if she had noticed him for she had paused for just a split second. She was now walking to the marketplace--where the marketplace would’ve been during the day. She stopped at one of the stalls--a jewelry stall--and was now talking to the woman behind the counter who was closing up for the day. Lorcan sighed, stupid of him. Stupid of him to think that she was up to something, of course she was just out shopping for her own vanity. He turned back around to face her, only to find that she had disappeared. The woman she had been talking to earlier, long gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan cursed, how? How had he lost the girl? He sighed realising his idiocy. This wasn’t just anyone he was dealing with, this was an assassin, known for slipping out of places unseen. It was just a second that he had looked away, but it was a second too long. He cursed again, her scent had somehow long been burned away to ash on the wind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was going to be a long night if he had any hope of finding Aelin before she did something stupid in her current state. He muttered a string of curses that Aelin would be proud of. Stupid of him to forget that she was an assassin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aelin was ill, very ill if she was being honest with herself. Which she wasn't. She had received a letter this morning from her cousin, Galan. And without even opening the letter she had know what it would be about--her torture with Maeve. Aelin needed a break, a break from court life, from her nightmares, and a break to find out how the hell to respond to Galan's letter without opening it. And so, she had made some flimsy excuse about needing a walk by herself before leaving the castle. In truth, she had no intention of 'going for a walk'. She had known exactly what she planned on doing when she dressed herself in a black cloak concealing various weapons beneath it. Her hood hiding her identity and hair. She needed a drink, not just some wine Royals drink. No, she needed something strong, to clear her mind of the worries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the fact that Orynth was still in rebuilding, various pubs had already sprang up. She was walking down one of the dark alleyways concealing herself in the shadows when she felt someone else's presence. Lorcan. He was following her. Figures. Well, she would find a way to lose him, like she always did when she was an assassin. She walked to a marketplace and went up to one of the women closing her stall for the night. When Lorcan looked away, she slipped down the alleyway behind the woman's stall. From there she continued her journey to a local bar--the one with the worst reputation in town. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flipped a silver coin to the man at the front. And swaggered in, time for unfeeling and selfish Celaena to take over. Especially since Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius was a mess right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Lorcan had at last tracked down the assassin in all her glory, he found her in a bar--one that is known to be full of drunkards, especially after the war and all its pain. He cursed himself once again for his stupidity of letting her slip away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to enter the tavern when a stocky man blocked his path. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have to pay an entrance fee before you enter,” the man stated almost bored, but it was clear from the gleam in his eye that he was a greedy little bastard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan might’ve growled at the man or taken off his hood to reveal who the man was speaking to--like he normally would have--if the situation at hand was not so dire. It would not do to reveal that his queen was in this bar, probably drunk and very vulnerable, and so he swallowed his growl before it could ever really form. Despite the fact that Lorcan would very much like to see the princess dead and ripped apart, some territorial part of him would not let it happen. He pretended it was because it would ruin his honour and reputation if he let his queen die when </span>
  <em>
    <span>even he </span>
  </em>
  <span>knew it wasn’t true. Besides, it would give criminals and lowlifes bad ideas if they ever heard that two of Terrasen’s court--and not just </span>
  <em>
    <span>any two people, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Queen and her blood-sworn--had been caught visiting a bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a silver coin and acting as if he had not a care in the world, he tossed the coin at the man and walked inside, smiling when he heard the man curse at him--the coin had hit its mark, somewhere </span>
  <em>
    <span>very sensitive</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scanned the room, a sh!thole excuse for a tavern. For once, Lorcan wished that he did not have the heightened senses of a fae, for the smell of piss and certain </span>
  <em>
    <span>other stuff</span>
  </em>
  <span> filled his nostrils. He was going to make Aelin pay for this the next time they sparred. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His nostrils flared, he had caught the smell of something bad enough to make even </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> eyes water and he caught the scent of someone familiar. He looked towards the back of the room and found Aelin looking right at him. It was hard to tell with her hood on but he could’ve sworn that she was smirking at him. She lifted one hand and despite the amount of alcohol it seemed that she had drank, it was steady. She beckoned with one finger, </span>
  <em>
    <span>come</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He did, and when he was close enough she whispered, and were it not for his heightened fae hearing, he would not have caught her words.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if it isn’t my dearest blood-sworn come to find me, I wondered if it really was that easy to lose you at the market.” she purred a lover’s caress, and Lorcan was surprised to find her voice perfectly steady in spite of all the alcohol her scent indicated that she drank. Stupid male, he should really stop being surprised. He was about to open his mouth to suggest that they head back when a voice whispered in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Close your mouth,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Aelin’s voice, she was using the blood oath on him. And he could not resist, no matter how strong or weak the command was, it was still a command nonetheless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was about to bare his teeth when he felt the tug down the bond once again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I wouldn’t do that if I were you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Her voice was full of mirth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sh!t, he was in deeper sh!t than he thought. She was drunk, not the usual mindless fuzzy drunk, no, she was even more dangerous when she was drunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sit down </span>
  </em>
  <span>Aelin commanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did, doing it so very slowly, trying to buy himself time to find a way to get out of this situation, </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> way. If she was drunk, she probably couldn’t think clearly, so reason won’t work on her but because she was drunk she also couldn’t really be accounted for her actions. But, since she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Aelin, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she can be very, very unpredictable. He sighed inwardly, why? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why </span>
  </em>
  <span>had he not prepared for this? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could use him in any way through the blood oath, when he had said she could use it on him, he had meant it but he</span>
  <em>
    <span> hadn’t meant this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If she were to command him to fight or kill he would have to do it, and he knew that she would most definitely regret it later. Some dark and evil part of him wanted her to do it, if only so that he could see her regret it later. But no, he couldn’t let her do that, he didn’t know what they were, what this relationship between them was, but he couldn’t see her break again. He had to find a way to stop her before that happened. He pretended once again it was because Rowan would kill him if he ever found out. He was doing a lot of pretending these days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what made Lorcan wonder the most, was why, why did she need a break today and not on any other day? They had passed by the day that Aelin was captured and sent to Endovier without incident. What was so special today that made her...</span>
  <em>
    <span>break?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He might’ve continued this long stream of thoughts if her voice hadn’t broken through his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lorcan, be a dear won’t you and deal us some cards.” She asked the last part like a question, but he had felt the tug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If this was all she wanted, it would be good, as long as this didn’t go any farther. He prayed to gods who weren’t there anymore that someone else would come and find them. Maybe Fenrys or Aedion, definitely not Rowan however. With Aelin in her current state Rowan would probably go on a killing massacre. And Lorcan couldn’t really blame him if he did. But, Lorcan grimaced, it would not give the people of Terrasen much confidence in their king if he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me Lorcan, who were your parents?” Again, that tug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However Lorcan gritted out panting hard--from trying to resist such a small thing, “No,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to Lorcan’s surprise, she backed off, the urge to speak gone. Maybe she was less drunk than he had initially thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, but tell me something interesting,”  A tug, but an open command, as long as if he spoke he could call the command fulfilled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to keep her busy, keep her entertained, keep her--. An idea formed in the back of Lorcan’s mind, he scowled to himself, he was really going to make her pay when she was well rested again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan made his voice soft and sweet, the purr that he used on Maeve and on the many other lovers he had taken to bed. He swallowed down his disgust--not because of Aelin but because he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>Elide </span>
  </em>
  <span>now. Gods, Rowan was really going to kill him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling, you have a beautiful body,” Yes, Rowan would kill him indeed--if he ever found out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin looked shocked, and Lorcan almost sighed in relief when he saw the fog clear in her eyes. But his relief was short lived when she leaned forward looking intrigued instead of repulsed. The charade would have to continue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you’re so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so pretty Aelin.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Normally, by this time, any other female would’ve taken off their clothes and begged him--</span>
  <em>
    <span>to do certain things</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But for once in Lorcan’s life, Lorcan was glad that Aelin was hard to influence and could see through even the best of disguises. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if Aelin had wanted to have se--he wasn’t even going to finish </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>miserable thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really, really hoped that Rowan would not decide to go and look for his mate. He was once again distracted from his thoughts by Aelin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmhmm. Is that all I am?” A question, a dangerous question, the wrong answer would likely bring down hell--especially since she’s drunk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He purred, “You’re incredibly beautiful, and smart, and creative, and strong, and--.” Lorcan didn’t know what else he was going to add that would make her happy, but luckily he didn’t need to continue, for Fenrys had just walked into the bar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A silence that was almost palpable fell onto the bar. If people had thought that Lorcan was the scariest of the bunch, Fenrys in </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>current state could really give Lorcan a run for his money. Fenrys with his dark cloak swirling around him looked like Hellas himself, he scanned the room and when his eyes landed on Lorcan with Aelin beside him, Lorcan could’ve sworn that his mouth thinned. People were backing away from Fenrys as they had not backed away from Lorcan, maybe he was losing his touch, and maybe. Just maybe, he was happy for it, Lorcan stopped himself from looking towards Aelin. He did not need another reason to feel guilty when Aelin was drunk and very much ill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys approached their table, slowly and calculated, he was not acting himself either. Fenrys had not acted himself ever since they had found him and Aelin again--because of Conall, Lorcan now realized, his fault that he acted this way. Fenrys had been more reserved and they had seen less of his dark sense of humour. He stopped by their table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re leaving, now.” he snapped his fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan could’ve hugged Fenrys in relief. But--.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling, won’t you be a dear and fetch us some drinks?” Aelin called, her words laced with power, Lorcan sagged a little--he had heard the order in her words and Fenrys was blood-sworn to her as much as he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But much to his surprise--again--Fenrys simply snapped his fingers again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I give the orders here. We’re leaving now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do?” she asked quietly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, in your current state, I do. Now, get moving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan was tense, Fenrys would not be able to resist much longer, he had done it once but his soul would not survive the second time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, it would seem that Lorcan’s concern was not needed as Aelin relented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine.” she revoked the order, “Let’s get going then, I suppose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan was astonished, but then he soon realized that of course, she would listen to Fenrys and not him--even when she was drunk. His chest fell a bit when he realized that the queen would probably never see him as a friend in the same way that she saw Fenrys--and that again, was his own doing, his own fault. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got up and left the bar, everyone was watching them with wide eyes--so much for keeping unnoticed. But he supposed that it was warranted, since the three of them--Aelin in the middle, Fenrys on her right and Lorcan on her left--with their matching outfits and weapons, resonated power and strength. No one stopped them when they left, all keeping far away from them. When they got far enough away from any listening ears and prying eyes, Fenrys stopped but when Aelin made to continue without him, Fenrys pulled her arm lightly. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, quietly enough that even Lorcan with his fae senses could not hear, what Lorcan could hear however was Aelin’s bitter laugh and response to whatever Fenry’s had said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I just wanted a drink?” she laughed sardonically. “But no, that can’t possibly be the reason because every little thing that I do always </span>
  <em>
    <span>has to </span>
  </em>
  <span>have a bigger reason behind it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aelin knew that she was drunk, she knew that she was acting like a child for throwing a tantrum and that she was being irrational. But, she couldn’t care less--maybe it was because of the alcohol, but maybe, it was because of other reasons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys growled, “Because you haven’t been acting like yourself lately,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, really? Because you’ve been doing any better? Tell me Fenrys, do you not still think of Connall for every little action that you do? Do you not think of Maeve every night? Do you not think of Cairn at every meal or every time you need to go to the bathroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Aelin, listen to yours--.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you listen </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fenrys</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I’m sick and tired of playing the victim, I’m sick and tired of all the worried looks you and the rest of the damn court cast my way. I hate it when you guys all think that at any moment, I’m just going to suddenly break.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She said the last part quickly, her breaths coming into pants. She said the next more quietly--only realizing then that she had been shouting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Fenrys, I know it hurts you every time that you see me hurt and I know that you want to help me, but what do you think it makes me feel every time I see you hurt? What do you think I feel every time you shove down a nightmare and ignore it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice came out higher and shriller. She leaned against the brick wall behind her in the alleyway. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes to keep the tears in. She steadied her breathing. And when she opened her eyes, her face was composed and calm--even though she was drunk, you wouldn’t have known it from the look on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenrys, I’m--.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop,” It was Fenrys who shouted this time, “Stop doing that, stop pretending that everything is fine when it isn’t, stop using that carefully constructed mask. We just want to f*cking help you. Stop pushing every damn person who tries to get in and behind that mask away.” He said the words in such a stream that it was almost incomprehensible, but his voice was remarkably more quiet than Aelin’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It might’ve gone on longer like this if Fenrys hadn’t made a mistake in the words that he chose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop blaming others for why you aren’t confronting your own f*cking problems.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was when Aelin snapped. Her voice dangerously quiet, “When have I ever blamed someone for my problems, Fenrys? Why don’t you tell me, since you seem so intent on telling me all of my issues right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lorcan had to stop the situation before it got any worse, from the way Aelin’s voice was dangerously quiet and the look on Fenrys' face, all hell was about to break loose. Fenrys had his fist raised in the air and looked ready to punch Aelin in the face when Lorcan yelled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop! Fenrys, calm down and talk to her when she’s sensible,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys laughed, a low hollow laugh, out of all the things that scared Lorcan the most, the laugh was probably the most frightening, he had never seen Fenrys act this way before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you fight me on this one, commander or should I say </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lord </span>
  </em>
  <span>now? Our duel has been long since overdue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Fenrys reached into his cloak and daggers started flying. Lorcan threw a shield around himself--just in time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenrys! Stop!” Aelin screamed looking terrified, evidently she had not expected things to come this far. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys didn’t stop however, just as another dagger was about to fly--aimed at Lorcan’s throat this time. A wall of fire surrounded Fenrys, when the wall disappeared, Lorcan saw Aelin holding an unconscious Fenrys up with one arm and the hilt of a dagger in the other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan understood, she had distracted Fenrys long enough to sneak up behind him and knock him unconscious with the hilt of her own dagger. She had tears streaming down her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s bring him back home,” her voice broke slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too far, they had taken things too far this time. What might’ve been a deadly and destructive duel ended before it really started thanks to the fire-breathing-b!tch-queen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed that every time Lorcan tried to help, he had only made things worse, perhaps he should stop his meddling. But, he couldn’t, not when these people had become more like a family to him--if he was being honest. He could not--would not--stand and watch them break and hurt themselves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and nodded to the--</span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span>--queen. Perhaps a good night’s sleep would do them all well. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone!!! Hope you’re all doing well, here’s the next chapter!!! I have a bunch of ideas for ATW:H, but if there’s something that you really want to see happen, feel free to leave a comment down below. ↓↓↓ And I’ll see what I can do. Also, thanks for all the amazing comments and kudos!!! ❤️❤️❤️ Happy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Fenrys woke up with a headache. There was pain in the back of his neck and nape, probably from the time that Aelin had knocked him out. He was grateful to her for that--his queen, for knocking him out. He would not have been able to live with himself if he had actually injured Lord Lorcan, even if he was a brooding misanthrope. Speaking of Aelin and Lorcan, he could smell their scent nearby, it was very fresh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pried open his eyes, a flash of pain seared through them, everything hurt, his arms, his legs, gods, what had he done? He shut his eyes and tried to open them again, this time, he was ready for the blinding flash of light from the still open window during the midday sun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scanned the room and saw much to his amusement, Aelin and Lorcan dozing quietly side by side in stuffed armchairs by his bed. They were still dressed in their dark cloaks that stank of ale and </span>
  <em>
    <span>other </span>
  </em>
  <span>stuff Fenrys would rather not know about. He hadn’t been asleep for long then, probably only for a couple of hours. And given the fact that neither Aelin nor Lorcan had unstrapped their various blades, they must’ve been really tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scanned them both again, his eyes finally resting on Aelin’s sleeping form curled up in her chair, what had made her decide that she needed a drink? What could’ve possibly been so bad? She was calm when she broke the news of her enslavement to her court--</span>
  <em>
    <span>too calm, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he now realized. And the things that he had said last night, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gods, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he was a fool, he was an </span>
  <em>
    <span>immortal fool</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He should’ve waited for Aelin to start the conversation, and now, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> probably pushed her away for good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin Ashryver Whitethorn Galathynius, Faerie Queen of Terrasen was anything but selfish, far from it in fact. Celaena Sardothien, maybe, but Aelin, </span>
  <em>
    <span>never Aelin</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He grimaced, then winced in pain, Aelin had never blamed anyone for her problems, quite the opposite in fact, she was continuously blaming herself. Blaming herself for all the things that she couldn’t have possibly prevented, there was truly no limit to guilt when it came to Aelin Galathynius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys Moonbeam was a male who could have any female--</span>
  <em>
    <span>or male</span>
  </em>
  <span> for that matter--that he wanted in the world, he could convince </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>to tell him their deepest and darkest secrets with the many charms that he possessed. And yet, Aelin was a mystery to him. He had let the world see him as wild and ruthless, but he was also very observant inside. And yet, Aelin was a locked door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sorted through what he knew for sure of what happened last night. He knew that he was knocked out with the hilt of Aelin’s dagger and that Aelin was probably drunk, but after that he did not remember. He was likely carried back to this castle--back to his </span>
  <em>
    <span>home</span>
  </em>
  <span>--by Lorcan from the scent of the male still clinging onto his clothes. And judging by the faint traces of Rowan and Aedion in his room, they had either left to do work, or--what Fenrys thought was more likely--had been kicked out by Aelin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had seen Aelin angry only once--and not the </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m going to take revenge </span>
  </em>
  <span>angry, no it had been far worse. And he knew that he never wanted to see her mad again, and given how long lived fae were--how long both of their lifespans were--the chances of him getting his wish were very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>slim. He winced at what he imagined had gone on yesterday. Oh, Rowan was sure to be pissed at him, and Aedion too for that matter. He groaned, not only would he have to deal with a queen who was </span>
  <em>
    <span>less than</span>
  </em>
  <span> happy with him at the moment, he would also have two--no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>three</span>
  </em>
  <span>--fae males staring him down. And he also knew that if it came down to it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>if it truly </span>
  </em>
  <span>came down to it, he would be the one to submit--if only because it concerned Aelin. He inwardly cringed at what the day was about to bring.  </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aelin was sore, her body ached as if she had slept on jagged pieces of rocks in the Oakwald Forest and her head spun in circles. She felt grimy and overall just dirty. She inhaled through her nose and almost threw up at the scent that her heightened fae senses picked up. Whatever that scent was, the servants should’ve already cleaned it up, she debated calling a servant--that is, until she realized that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the source of that scent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that realization in mind, her eyes flew open and her head shot up. She had a throbbing headache behind her temple, she winced, it had been a mistake to move that fast. It took several blinks before the room finally took focus. When her eyes had at last been able to adjust to the brightness, she found Fenrys sitting up in bed, looking at her with concern in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinked, the only sign that betrayed her shock at seeing Fenrys already awake. It took several more blinks before her eyes finally took in the details of Fenrys’ injuries. He had bruises down his arms, legs and on his collarbone, and although it wasn’t like any of the injuries that he had probably been through before, they still must’ve hurt--</span>
  <em>
    <span>badly</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She wasn’t quite sure </span>
  <em>
    <span>how </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had gotten those wounds, he certainly didn’t have them when he first appeared in the bar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Aelin had knocked Fenrys out, she handed him over to Lorcan--because she was too drunk that she didn’t trust herself to carry Fenrys without dropping hi--. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sh!t, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she realized. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sh!t, sh!t, sh!t</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She remembered the rest of what happened last night at the bar, the memories a bit fuzzy thanks to the alcohol she had consumed, but… She remembered vaguely that she had used the blood oath on Lorcan, and that she had tried to use it on both of them, but Fenrys had managed to stop her before she made them do something that she would </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>regret later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>F*ck, she winced, Lorcan had likely been just as drunk as her. And she knew that if </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>had been as drunk as Lorcan, she would’ve staggered with--and probably all out dropped--Fenrys. She looked at Fenrys, and she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt at the bruises that covered his beautiful face--which was still beautiful despite the scars from Maeve, if anything it was more striking with the scars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaned forward to heal Fenrys but then stopped herself. She couldn’t remember everything that had happened and had been said last night, but she remembered very vividly what Fenrys had shouted in that alleyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up, and would’ve fallen right over if Fenrys hadn’t lunged and caught her just in time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright, Aelin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” this time, she stood up slower, which seemed to ease her headache, just a little bit. “I’m going to go get a healer,” her words were slurred when they came out of her mouth. Her vision blurred, Aelin felt herself falling, and the last thing that she remembered before falling into the land of dreams, was Fenrys’ voice asking if she was on a hangover. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fenrys lunged again for Aelin and caught her just in time before she hit the ground, his muscles protested at the sudden movement. He cursed, she probably had a hangover, he had seen her drink more alcohol than an entire armada of fae warriors last night. He looked over at Lorcan, who was still out cold on the armchair, he probably had a hangover too, given the fact that Aelin had most likely forced him to drink the alcohol. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Great, just great, he was stuck with two people who were flat out cold from what was likely a hangover, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>one </span>
  </em>
  <span>of those people was his queen. Who also probably pissed off the males doing wryd knows what.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His arms were straining with the effort of holding Aelin upright--because the bruises on his arms were injuries, pain wise, just short of broken bones. And Fenrys felt like he had been banged up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite literally</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He gently laid Aelin down in his bed, gods, Rowan was really going to kill him--for about a dozen different reasons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And deciding not to look in the mirror, since he probably looked as good as he felt, he went to the closed door, walking past the still unconscious Lorcan. He walked through the antechamber of his room and peeked his head out the door and saw two guards by his door, he frowned. Aelin didn’t like it when there were guards stationed directly outside the doors, it reminded her too much of being a prisoner and Fenrys couldn’t blame her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you two doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both men startled at the injuries that covered his face, Fenrys ignored their glances. Both of these men, he recognized, Damien and Jace, some of Kyllian’s--Kyllian was named Captain of the Guard as well as Second to the Bane after the war--most trusted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-we were ordered.” stammered Damien.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ordered?” he was getting more confused by the second, “by the King?” Had Rowan ordered them to be here so that he could know immediately when they were awake? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-no, ordered by Her Majesty.” Damien stuterred, clearly still surprised by the novel injuries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Damien made no move to continue, Fenrys prompted, “To do, what exactly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damien blinked then replied, “We were told to stay here and stop anyone from entering, and not to leave our posts.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys was dumbfounded, what in the world had happened while he was out? “To keep people from entering but not from leaving?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we were never told to keep anyone from leaving, just no one new was to enter the room,” the guard seemed equally as confused as Fenrys. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys’ brows crinkled, “And if I told you to go leave?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The guard shuffled his feet, “We, um, were told that it was the Queen’s order.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys’ brows rose at that. For Aelin to directly indicate that it was an order from the Queen--which outranked all other orders, even the King’s--was something very unlike Aelin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I get one of you to go and get a healer?” he asked cautiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damien bit his lip, so it was Jace who answered this time. “Milord, we were told not to leave our posts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Given the fact that neither of them looked too comfortable with being questioned by him, he could surmise that whatever Aelin had said--or done--it had scared them enough, that they would not budge from the order that they were given, unless told otherwise by their queen. Gods, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what had Aelin said?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubbed his head and sighed. “Fine, stay here, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked out of the room in search of a healer. He kept mostly to the shadows and unused corridors in hopes that Aedion and Rowan wouldn’t scent and find him. Aedion had placed at least one guard in every corridor of the palace, what the guards thought of him, with all his bruises and head tilting--listening for footsteps, Fenrys didn’t care to know. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had at last reached the healers’ wing, a big sunny room--because Aelin had always hated how the healers in Rifthold were hidden, he silently cursed how just this once, it would’ve been useful if the healers </span>
  <em>
    <span>were </span>
  </em>
  <span>hidden. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The healers’ were all bustling about tending to patients, but all that stopped when he opened the door--he must’ve looked worse than he had originally thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need a healer,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the young acolytes pointed to an empty bed, and the other healers continued doing what they were doing before Fenrys had opened the door. Evidently, they thought that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he had</span>
  </em>
  <span> come for a healer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I need a healer to come with me,” a pause in the others at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, what he assumed was the Head Healer asked, “Is the injury serious?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he answered, “I just want a healer to check on someone,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Head Healer seemed to consider him, then answered, “Alright, I’ll come with you,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys waited for the Head Healer to finish doling out instructions before turning to follow him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After you, Lord,” she said when she was ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before they had reached his room, Fenrys heard shouting that his fae ears had picked up. He inwardly cringed, it was Aedion’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT DO YOU MEAN </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’M NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had rounded the corner in time to see Jace wince, “W-we had orders from the Queen, General,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion, who was dangerously close to Jace’s face, whispered, “And I am the Queen’s blood-sworn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We know, General,” Aedion looked like he was close to punching the guard in the face, and Jace seemed to know it too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys cleared his throat, Aedion whirled to face him, he stalked to where Fenrys was standing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What have you done to my cousin?” Aedion’s voice was even despite the threat laced beneath the words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Fenrys replied evenly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion’s fists clenched.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what Aelin said to you yesterday, but I was unconscious by that time.” Fenrys whispered low enough so that the others’ couldn’t hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why, were you unconscious?” Voice equally low. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was knocked out,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that why you have those bruises then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, but I have a theory. And I would like, for her, to see a healer first.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys moved to walk out of Aedion’s way but Aedion cried out in annoyance. Aedion made to pin Fenrys to the wall and Fenrys let him, it would only fuel him to fight back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion bared his teeth and growled, a sound pure fae. Aedion had him pinned to the wall well, he could not move his arms or get out of that position unless he used his magic. Aedion had thrown him hard, his limbs were aching in protest. Fenrys looked to the hallway and saw only the two guards and the healer. All of them were clearly unsure as to what they should do, if it came to a fight between the two wolves of Terrasen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys leaned his face closer to Aedion and whispered, “I’m not going to fight you, Aedion,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys used his magic and slipped to the other side of the hall before Aedion had time to react. Aedion whirled and made to throw a punch at Fenrys,but  Fenrys caught his fist in his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Queen’s Second</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Aedion snarled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And</span>
  <em>
    <span> I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Queen’s Third,” he replied evenly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys dropped Aedion’s fist and walked up to the guards. They both grimaced at the attention, but, they would not need to witness the two wolves of Terrasen fight in this corridor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let them in,” he jerked his chin to Aedion and the healer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both winced, “We have our orders, Ambassador,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let them in, and I will take full responsibility for this,” Fenrys’ voice sanctioned no argument. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two guards looked towards each other, unsure as to what to do when confronted with the Queen’s blood-sworn warriors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let </span>
  <em>
    <span>them in, </span>
  </em>
  <span>or I will make you, and my way will be </span>
  <em>
    <span>much more </span>
  </em>
  <span>unpleasant,” Fenrys’ voice was even despite the threat laced beneath his words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damien and Jace, however, still looked unsure, whatever Aelin had threatened them, it must've been bad, to garner a reaction like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys debated whether if counting down would make them decide any faster when they both bowed their heads, “As you wish, Lord,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys inwardly grimaced at the title. Aelin had officially made him a lord after her coronation, saying that anyone who defended her as much as he had, deserved a title. Fenrys had no land, but he still outranked nearly everyone in the court--she had </span>
  <em>
    <span>also </span>
  </em>
  <span>made him her and Rowan’s Third. Since, the placement of Second had and always will belong to Aedion. To say the least, he was still getting used to his new title. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys breezed into the room, with Aedion on his heels and the healer following.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you check on both of them?” he asked the healer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The healer nodded, she checked on Aelin first and then on Lorcan. If she showed any surprise of seeing both the Queen and the Lord passed out cold, she hid it well--which Fenrys supposed was useful as a healer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “They’re both fine,” she finally said, “Just… on a hangover, they’ll probably have a headache, when they wake up, but they should be fine. And, I can make a tonic for that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys sank onto a chair, his legs giving out in relief. “Thank you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noori,” the healer--Noori--replied at Fenrys’ expectant pause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Noori, if you could keep this to yourself, it would be greatly appreciated.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would never dream of such a thing,” Of telling others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” and he meant it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The healer made to leave but paused, “Sometimes, emotional wounds take longer to heal than the physical ones.” And with that, she left, closing the door behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys sighed, and rubbed his temples. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion went over to Aelin and gently brushed the hair out of her face. “Rowan’s going to kill you, you know,” he said quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys sighed, “Don’t remind me, I know,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that was that,” a voice sounded from behind. Both Aedion and Fenrys swiveled to face the intruder, hands already reaching for daggers when they realized who it was. Falkan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Fenrys demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Falkan started, looking sheepish, “Lysandra asked me to check on Aelin and you two,” a nod at Fenrys and Lorcan. “She would’ve come herself but she--and Elide--thought it would be best to, uh, distract Rowan. Elide just barely managed to stop Rowan from going all territorial on everyone yesterday, and she’s worried about Lorcan.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t answer why you were hiding.” Fenrys glared at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I came, when you were out getting a healer, then I heard shouting,” a pointed glance at Aedion, “So, I thought it would be best, for me, to stay hidden until things were sorted out.” And given the pungent scent on Aelin and Lorcan, it would likely cover Falkan’s as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys sighed and looked towards Aedion, “Exactly what, did Aelin do yesterday? I feel like I'm missing something here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion grimaced, “You might want to eat something first.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In case it wasn't obvious, the next part is set directly after Aelin knocks Fenrys out. Anyways, hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Aedion was walking down the palace grounds in search of where the freaking hell his cousin might be. Aelin had just left the dinner table claiming that she wanted to go for a walk when the had thought occurred to Aedion that now would be the perfect time to finish up the discussion of how and when they should organize the first Assembly, since they were interrupted previously by Darrow when he had walked in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He must’ve walked all over the palace by now, looking at the usual places that Aelin was normally at. Her study, the library, the music room, the training room. All to no avail. He had asked all her personal guards where she might be, they all looked equally stumped and then anxious that they had not considered. Likely, Aelin’s intention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been nearly impossible to get her to agree to even have, as she liked to call it, a ‘personal entourage’ of guards. And though she had finally relented and permitted him to choose men that would make up the Queen’s Guard, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>rarely </span>
  </em>
  <span>let them do their jobs properly. In that, she was still the same princess as before, always slipping away from her guards and ordering the guards to leave her side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion growled, he was going to have to have a lengthy conversation with Aelin about her safety. But, first he would have to find his cousin. He was walking towards the eastern gates when he heard voices, Aelin’s voice, something he thought would be a comfort to hear, was anything but. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“OPEN THE GODS DAMNED GATES, YOU FOOLS!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clear that she was in a temper, a very bad one if the volume of her voice was any indication. He had not heard her sound like that since… since she had been Celaena Sardothien that day at the Keep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion could just make out the voice of the guard from where he stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Apologies madam, but as I said, you must have the Queen’s permission to enter, you could make a request however.” the guard tried to say as reassuringly and calmly as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT DO YOU MEAN I NEED THE QUEEN’S F*CKING PERMISSION?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion winced, but he was surprised that the guard had not recognized his queen. Was the guard’s eyesight really that poor?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madam--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“DON’T YOU MADAM ME!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And before the guard could reply, fire exploded. There were shouts of alarm from the guards--both the ones by the gates and the ones that monitored the wall of the palace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion knew that Aelin had given up much of her flame to make the Lock, she had told him and Lysandra as much the same night of her coronation. But it was clear from the mini </span>
  <em>
    <span>explosion </span>
  </em>
  <span>that had happened that she still had much of the fire within her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion was far enough not to be injured by the flames that she threw his way but close enough to see the damage that it caused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gates had been temporarily made out of steel because iron was hard to make, and steel would serve well until a blacksmith could make the </span>
  <em>
    <span>very specific </span>
  </em>
  <span>design that Aelin had wanted on the gate. Well, steel</span>
  <em>
    <span> would’ve</span>
  </em>
  <span> served,</span>
  <em>
    <span> if </span>
  </em>
  <span>Aelin hadn’t just burned it into a pooling puddle of molten steel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion stood there shocked, whatever had happened today, it had been very, very bad indeed. Aelin, despite what the world claims her to be, was anything but rash. She thought of her choices so </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>carefully. But this… this display or whatever this was. This </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t Aelin</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The only other time that he could compare this to was the time that Aelin had flounced into the Keep making three grown men tremble at her sight, though voice was more accurate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion blinked then recovered himself. He rushed forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aelin, you’re back!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her gaze--sharp as an arrow’s--shot to where his voice had come from. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t stand there, you nitwit! DO SOMETHING!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion paused in his stride, whatever he had expected his cousin to say, it wasn’t that. What exactly Aelin wanted him to do, he wasn’t sure. She hadn’t spoken this sharply to him since… since </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And she had never so much as called someone ‘stupid’ before, so for her to call people ‘nitwits’ and ‘fools’, in </span>
  <em>
    <span>one </span>
  </em>
  <span>night… Aedion couldn’t help but feel a stab of hurt at the name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Aelin seemed to forget that he was there, she walked sharply on her heels with Lorcan--or who he assumed was Lorcan--following behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only then did he realize that she--they both smelled… awful was too nice of a word to put it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No wonder the guards had not recognized her, who would expect their queen to smell </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse </span>
  </em>
  <span>than a vagrant. They were both wearing heavy black cloaks and they both had multiple weapons concealed--if the daggers hanging at Lorcan’s side was any indication. Lorcan was carrying a bundle--no, there was another familiar scent entwined with theirs, </span>
  <em>
    <span>was Lorcan carrying Fenrys?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan was staggering slightly and seemed to keep on bumping Fenrys on the ground, though not on purpose it would seem… Aedion cursed. And ignoring the shouts of guards from behind he ran to catch up with Aelin, who was already nearing the inside of the castle </span>
</p><p><span>“Gods, Aelin, </span><em><span>are you drunk?</span></em><span>” he asked. </span><span><br/>
</span> <span>His cousin looked at him, there was indeed a fog that was clouding her eyes--and judgement it would seem. </span></p><p><span>“</span><em><span>Is Lorcan drunk?</span></em> <em><span>Are you two seriously both drunk?</span></em><span>” </span></p><p>
  <span>At that, her gaze seemed to sharpen--just a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you still f*cking here, I thought I told you to do something.” she snapped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are I here? Gods, Aelin, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you have to be kidding me! YOU JUST BURNED DOWN THE F*CKING GATE TO YOUR OWN HOUSE!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he stopped to catch his breath, only realizing then that his voice had rose enough to wake everyone in the palace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have you know that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re not </span>
  </em>
  <span>my nursemaid, and that if you’re here to spew nonsense you can go and shove your head in your a*s.” she retorted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nonsense? She was calling burning down property, </span>
  <em>
    <span>nonsense? </span>
  </em>
  <span>He opened his mouth to argue but Aelin had already turned on her heels. He closed his mouth, it would do them both no good if he tried to argue with someone who was very clearly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not in their right mind</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed behind Aelin a bit more warily this time. But she paid him no heed, either it was because she did not notice him or because she ignored him. Aedion couldn’t tell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked up to Fenrys’ room, Lorcan following, still staggering, it was a miracle that he hadn’t already dropped Fenrys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin entered the room, and Lorcan made to lay Fenrys down in his bed in his bedroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin looked around and upon seeing him she asked, “Why the hell has a bath not already been drawn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion blinked, then replied carefully, “You didn’t ask for one, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Your Majesty</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion was very irritated with his cousin, given the edge and use of title in his words. But either Aelin didn’t notice or care, she just asked sweetly, “Well, shouldn’t you have anticipated and had one ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, he actually gaped at Aelin. This...</span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> behaviour was one that he had not seen since the last time he had to deal with the nobles in Adarlan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, since,</span>
  <em>
    <span> you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t bother to go and get some refreshments, I will go and do it myself.” she threw an irritated glare his way before stalking out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A minute had barely passed before the door was once again thrown open. Rowan was there, with a glare on his face that promised slow death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where. Is. She?” His words were near guttural and hardly comprehensible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion stood still, thinking fast, Rowan looked like he was going to go on a killing spree. And before he could do anything but brace himself, he was thrown against the wall with a dagger pressed to his throat--there was a lot of dagger to throats these days. His back arched and ached in protest. Somehow, Rowan had managed to pull out the weapon before Aedion had even realized that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he had </span>
  </em>
  <span>a weapon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fenrys,” he wheezed, then realized his mistake, too late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blade was there one moment and gone the next as if it had never been. And Rowan was already moving towards the door--the bedroom door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Lorcan was there before Rowan could reach it. He leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed and looked for all the world like he had been waiting for Rowan to arrive--which Aedion realized that he probably had--and not at all drunk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move.” Rowan ordered. There was a growl beneath his words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Lorcan just glared right back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan snarled. “I’m, </span>
  <em>
    <span>your king</span>
  </em>
  <span> am I not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lorcan didn’t miss a beat, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am </span>
  <em>
    <span>blood-sworn </span>
  </em>
  <span>to Aelin, not you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Rowan gritted out through his teeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not my story to tell.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suddenly, so loyal are you?” Rowan said, which was little more than a snarl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, for your mate to tell you, Rowan.” Lorcan said adamantly, ignoring the jab. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan slammed his fist into Lorcan’s chest. Aedion sucked in a breath, remembering how badly it had hurt the first time when an Adarlanian bastard had pummeled him with fists after the fall of Terrasen. And</span>
  <em>
    <span> they </span>
  </em>
  <span>weren’t powerful fae males. But, Lorcan didn’t so much as flinch, it seemed that he had expected it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan’s punches were so fast that it was hard to follow. When Rowan pulled back to strike the older male again, Aedion wanted to scream at Lorcan to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But, Lorcan stood in front of the door and took the King’s punches. He was protecting Fenrys, Aedion wouldn’t have thought it possible from someone so selfish as Lorcan, but for once he wished that Lorcan really was that selfish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan wouldn’t kill Lorcan, that much was obvious, if they were to ever fight--</span>
  <em>
    <span>really fight</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the destruction would be devastating. But, a fight between the silver haired king and the white wolf, it would be over before it even started. And with Fenrys in his current state, he likely wouldn’t even be able to stand, let alone defend himself. The punches that Rowan threw weren’t enough to mortally injure--they would likely heal themselves before the night was over, but were merely a warning. And what Aedion suspected was Rowan’s fae instincts taking over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fae were said to go crazy and go so far as to try and kill anyone who stood between them and their mate should they have enough cause to think that their mate was in danger. And danger… was a vague term, danger could be anything as small as a paper cut or as big as an arrow through someone’s heart. When this happened to a male, their instincts would take over and no amount of reason would satisfy them, only the wild beast lurking beneath their skin would show. The fae always had one foot in the forest, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion didn’t know what to do, if he made a sound, Rowan’s attention might turn on him, and he knew that Lorcan would be able to fend off Rowan longer than he would. But luckily he wouldn’t need to decide for there was a voice that sounded from behind him, Aelin’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing, Rowan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan spun around and faced his mate, his face crumpled in relief, but unfortunately for him, it was short-lived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have to </span>
  </em>
  <span>start being territorial? Can’t you at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try to </span>
  </em>
  <span>be civil? </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHY DO YOU MALES ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SO DAMN TERRITORIAL?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That seemed to spark Rowan’s temper, and boy did he have a temper, one to match that of fire and fury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to talk about being civil? Why don’t you explain how I was in my study finishing up the letter to </span>
  <em>
    <span>your cousin</span>
  </em>
  <span> when suddenly a guard bursts in claiming that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you BURNED DOWN THE PALACE GATE!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>IT WASN’T MY F*CKING FAULT THAT THEY REFUSED TO OPEN THE DOOR!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“YOU BURNED THE ENTIRE F*CKING THING DOWN!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Then silence fell, they both stared at each other and communicated in the way that only they could. And it just might’ve been the most terrifying experience that Aedion had ever had to bear witness to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few heartbeats of that intense staring, Aelin snarled and threw her dagger--one that Aedion hadn’t seen her draw, </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>--at Rowan, missing his neck by a mere hairsbreadth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion wasn’t sure if he should interfere or not, he looked towards Lorcan who seemed equally torn watching his brother and queen fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was more of that staring in silence thing before Rowan growled, “Spoiled brat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion gaped--not for the first time that night. Whoever said that mates had such a strong connection to each other that they couldn’t bear to see the other hurt, were wrong, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sorely wrong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Aelin and Rowan had no qualms about insulting each other, whether it’s by daggers or words. But, if someone else were to insult their mate, they would be the first to defend them, funny how these things are flipped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A quick glance at Lorcan told him that he was equally surprised but the older male’s gaze was focused on the two. There was more silence, and Aedion tried desperately not to shift around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, “Get out! Get out!” Aelin cried, and Aedion couldn’t believe how fast Aelin’s mood had shifted. There were now tears streaming down her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Louder, she repeated, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>GET OUT NOW!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>When Rowan still made no move to leave, fire exploded--again, not for the first time that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next few moments passed in a terrifying blur. Both he and Lorcan experienced many shifts in temperature. He would’ve marvelled at how fast it can go from burning hot to freezing cold in a split second, had he not been so worried for Aelin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, Aelin had thrown Rowan in the direction of the door--the one that led out of Fenrys’ chambers--with her fire. And before Rowan could throw ice in her direction a shield of death was formed. With Rowan and himself on one side and the other three on the other side. Aedion knew instinctively that anyone who touched the shield would receive instant death, a gift of Hellas no doubt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rowan looked scathingly in Lorcan’s direction, but the commander stood firm beneath that scrutiny. Then, much to Aedion’s surprise, he left, slamming the door hard enough to leave an echoing boom from behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin wiped her eyes dry of her tears. She was still staring at the door that Rowan had just slammed. And without turning to look at him, she said, “Get out, Aedion.” Her voice was hollow in the way that it had not been since… since she had thought that she would not survive after forging the Lock, that day on the ship sailing to Ellywe. It was so hollow, so hopeless, so… so dead. That all Aedion wanted to do was embrace Aelin and comfort her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had claimed that Lorcan had no tact, but it was he himself that had none. He wanted so desperately to tell Aelin that everything would be all right like he had done when they were children. But… but he knew that Aelin wouldn’t take it well if he did. And so, he did as his queen bid him and left the room, even though he felt some part of his heart shatter ever so slightly because of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, that’s what happened.” Fenrys said, at last, breaking the silence after Aedion had finished his tale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” the younger male said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both looked towards the unconscious figure lying in Fenrys’ bed, concern was written all over both of their faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened, after you left?” Fenrys asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion bit his lip and said the answer all in a rush, as if that would help ease the weight that his words would bring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rowan was pacing and Elide begged him not to destroy anything or anyone. And it was funny seeing Evangeline try and scold Rowan for not being the bigger male.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys almost smiled, imagining the little girl trying to take on one of the most powerful fae warriors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But his smile fell when the general continued. “But… um…Aelin’s outburst was not something so easily concealed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence, then, Fenrys spoke more to himself than the other male. “So, everyone knows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone knows,” Aedion confirmed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If everyone in the palace knew about what had taken place last night, then it would only be a matter of time before news of the Queen of Terrasen’s outburst reached distant shores. Not only would this impede the progress that he--Fenrys--had been trying to make to the foreign courts, but this would be the proof to their enemies that the Faerie Queen was not as stable or wise as everyone made her out to be. This would be the proof that they needed to prove Aelin was still a child and unfit to be queen. And with the war so recently over at such a steep cost, another war would break them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys sighed. “And the guards?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, just frightened and I can’t blame them, who wouldn’t be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, the world knows,” he said again. Aedion didn’t say anything, probably already knowing that it was not needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll deal with this, pup,” Aedion said simply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys huffed a laugh, “You know that only Rowan calls me that right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Aelin,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed outright this time, “Yes, and Aelin, and you know that technically you’re the pup given your age.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and I know that you’re old enough to be my grandfather.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys grimaced, “I really don’t need to think of it like that, Aedion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion just shrugged with a smirk. Fenrys sighed, the moment of humour gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… well, I guess we’ll have to do damage control and wait for Aelin to wake up.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>get better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion looked at him, amused. “What do you think we’ve been doing all this time? You three were just lying around and Rowan was doing nothing of use.” The Wolf of the North said them three lying around as if they were being lazy and not passed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still haven’t answered my question, you know.” Aedion continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the hell do you have so many bruises?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I have a feeling that Lorcan was drunk… and I think that he might’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>accidentally </span>
  </em>
  <span>given me a bunch of bruises when he was carrying me.” he glared in the direction of said male. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Falkan huffed a laugh. Fenrys and Aedion both jumped, they had forgotten that he was still there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call it payback for the last time, when you laughed loud enough for the entire court to see </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lorcan’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>hair braided.” Falkan said, trying to lighten the mood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion smiled, despite the situation at hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys just sighed. Today would indeed be a long day. What would he--</span>
  <em>
    <span>could he--</span>
  </em>
  <span>do to recover the alliances with the other courts, not to mention keep his own court from falling apart. His smile turned grim. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sooooo....in case it wasn't clear, Fenrys got his many bruises because Lorcan kept staggering and bumping him (because he--Lorcan was drunk).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ren's POV of everything that had happened... Hope you enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ren Allsbrook was walking down the halls of the palace of Orynth in contemplation, it was late enough that all the decent people in the palace would be asleep by now, all except him, who could not--would not--let sleep claim him. He didn’t care what the guards on duty thought he was doing, it wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>their </span>
  </em>
  <span>business after all. The halls were illuminated by candles in brass holders on the walls, lighted by servants earlier when the sky had first begun to darken. The shadows casted on the walls were long and dark. A fitting scene for the thing that was occupying his mind. For indeed, the thing--the person--that occupied his mind most these days was no easy thing to decipher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His queen, and former assassin, Aelin Galathynius, has sacrificed herself into the claws of the most powerful Valg Queen in history, so that they--</span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span>--may have a chance at survival. He wasn’t sure who to mad at more; himself for not believing in her and accusing her of all the things that he had during the war or, Aelin, for not telling him beforehand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t blame her for not telling him, he wasn’t her blood-sworn after all, </span>
  <em>
    <span>not like </span>
  </em>
  <span>Aedion and the other fae males. He tried not to be envious that they were sworn to her and that he was not, but it was difficult since all his life had been set to become </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>blood-sworn. He was happy for Aedion, he really was, their friendship had been repaired greatly these past few years. But he could not help but hope that one day, one day, she would ask him to swear the oath to her. Ren wasn’t vain, and he wasn’t the kind to ask for something like that, even if it was the thing that he wanted the most, and so he tried to act indifferent about it, he tried… and failed, most days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The others at court were quite shocked at news--himself included--however, there was one who was not, Rolfe. King of the Archipelagos and Lord of Illium. Rolfe, who was the heir of the Mycenians, people who had been little more than bedtime stories from Ren’s own childhood. Rolfe seemed, if anything, resigned to the news of Aelin’s capture by their enemy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps, Rolfe knew Aelin better than Ren did himself. Because the Aelin he had thought of from their childhood was spoiled like any other princess her age was and the Celaena that he had known was bloodthirsty and unforgiving. He still had nightmares from that night, nightmares of Celaena catching them all unawares and killing a dozen of his friends. Nightmares of his grandfather being killed by her hand. Though he supposed that the latter didn’t really matter since his grandfather was dead without her involved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grandfather, who had rescued him and seen his own daughter and son-in-law killed by the Adarlanians. His grandfather, who tried to give him the best life that he could possibly give under the circumstances, the one who was always there for him even if he wasn’t always there for his grandfather. Murtagh had been kind to him, he had been the father that Ren needed after all that he had witnessed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet… and yet, he was dead and irrevocably gone like the rest of his family; his sisters, who always prided themselves on their magic; his parents, who were so courageous and willing to walk into death hand in hand for him to have a future; and the Captain of the Guard, Quinn, who had always been Ren’s role model from when he was younger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had nightmares every night after they had escaped and lived while the others were dead. It was why he had turned to opium despite his grandfather’s wishes. He needed the drug to cloud his mind and take away his pain, his loss. He had buried all those memories deep inside of him so that the only time he would see their faces was in the deepest of slumbers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His sisters screaming as they beheld the Adarlanians coming for them. His sisters begging for mercy in front of the Adarlanians. His sisters beheaded by the Adarlanians. His sisters stabbed. His sisters whipped. Each image, each nightmare, got worse than the last. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren hadn’t been taking the opium regularly, he had quit to honour his grandfather’s memories, but these nightmares grew increasingly more frequent as the withdrawal symptoms took hold. He himself could hardly catch a wink of rest before the nightmares chased him out of bed, out from his tangled sheets and sweat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren didn’t know if it made him a weak man or not, to be afraid to go to sleep, to be afraid of the dark. His queen after all had survived over two months in the ‘care’ of Maeve, creatures who could make you </span>
  <em>
    <span>live </span>
  </em>
  <span>your worst nightmare. His queen had fought and come out victorious. He had thought himself so weak and breakable when he had learned that Aelin had managed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>survive </span>
  </em>
  <span>interrogation with two sadists. Aelin who had already been through an entire year of hell in the salt mines of Endovier, being whipped day after day after day and pretending to be someone else all the while. Aelin hadn’t just survived, she had won and been perfectly fine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, Ren wasn’t so sure. He wasn’t so sure that there </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>a cost to Aelin’s survival. If war had taught him anything, it was that everything, </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>in life had a price attached to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two days ago, Aelin had come back with two of her blood-sworn covered in ale and other stuff. Two days ago, she had exploded with flame. Two days ago, she had terrified everyone from servants to guard with what she</span>
  <em>
    <span> might</span>
  </em>
  <span> do to them, and today… </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>fear, fear that they were unsafe hung about the palace like an unwelcome guest at a party. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Currently, the Queen and her two blood-sworn were ‘resting’, whatever that entailed. No one had been allowed to see them, except her blood-sworn that is. When Ren had tried to talk to the Queen, the guards by her door adamantly refused saying that if he loittered any longer they would be forced to </span>
  <em>
    <span>remove </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ren themselves. And so, not wanting to be dragged like a sack of grain, Ren had left and now was wandering aimlessly in the palace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Ren had nightmares of events that happened ten years ago, what kind of nightmares did his queen have? Ren, despite all he had been through, had never felt the sting of the whip on his back. He had never seen his parents’ bodies. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t have an entire kingdom hanging over his head like an unwanted dark cloud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren knew that the Princess of Terrasen had never wanted to become queen, the entire inner court had known it. He could still remember the shouting matches that that little girl had had with her parents. He could still remember her crying day after day after day, saying that she never wanted to become queen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet, she had done, had sacrificed the most for this country. For the kingdom that she never wanted to be queen of but had always been a part of. Her life had been preordained even before she had been born. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had let him, let the</span>
  <em>
    <span> entire world</span>
  </em>
  <span> see and make assumptions about her: her naivety, her ruthlessness, her recklessness. But she had fought with every being of her soul for this place, for her crown.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren didn’t know what happened during the war that had caused her to lose her mortal form. But he would bet all his gold that whatever the reason, it wasn’t a good one. He had only known that she could no longer shift when he had asked one day while they were sparring, saying that it would be more fair if he was fighting a human and not fae. And when he tried to get more details as to </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>she could no longer shift, she had laughed and joked that her human form was a small price to pay for the future that they now might have. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren knew that the others at court would likely see Aelin surviving as a count to how mighty she was, he knew that the others--including the general populace--would be awed by her story and he knew that the others would forever be grateful to her. But he also knew that the others would never breach the subject with her, preferring to pretend that all was well and good even if it was not. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They </span>
  </em>
  <span>would prefer to pretend that she was unscarred and fine rather than see that she hurt as much as they, as much as anyone did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The people of Terrasen would see their queen as a warrior willing to always put their needs in front of her own. They would praise and honour her, building statues, paintings, singing tunes and dances, all in her honour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the Queen had collapsed during that meeting with her inner circle, which Ren was now a part of. At first, Ren had been worried that the Queen was sick, had caught a virus or something. But, Lorcan had laid a gentle hand on his shoulder--despite what one may assume about Lorcan--and had whispered in his ear that the Queen was not sick, just indisposed. Which immediately led Ren to the thought that Aelin had collapsed from exhaustion, she had looked pretty exhausted from the beginning of the meeting after all. But then, he had seen her shake, had seen her shiver and sweat like how he did when he was having a nightmare. Then, he had seen Fenrys’ eyes wide with fear and what looked like guilt. Then, he did not understand. Now, after the news, after the incident two nights ago, he understood and he wished that he did not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The King and Prince had been working themselves into a frenzy these past two days. They had been working desperately to keep the news of Aelin’s ‘little outburst’ contained, all to no avail. Ren knew that the king had been prohibited from seeing his Queen. And he knew that the Queen was currently being taken care of by the other two members of her blood-sworn. But beyond that, he did not know. And he did not know if </span>
  <em>
    <span>he wanted </span>
  </em>
  <span>to know. What was worse after all? Knowing and wishing you didn’t or not knowing and doing everything you can to know. </span>
</p><p><span>Ren sighed and turned yet another corner down the palace halls. He did not know what to do and worse still, he did not know what</span> <span>he</span><em><span> wanted </span></em><span>to do. Yes, tonight, would be yet another long night indeed. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aelin groaned as she opened her eyes and beheld the two figures that stood before her. Her lips were cracked and her throat was parched. And she had a headache, a pounding one from behind her temples. It took several blinks before the room finally took focus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was in Fenrys’ bed in Fenrys’ room. She had been changed out of her former attire and into something more comfortable. Her weapons had been unstrapped from her body and she smelled and more importantly,</span>
  <em>
    <span> felt</span>
  </em>
  <span> clean. She debated asking who had changed and bathed her, but decided in the end, that she would rather not know. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two figures who stood next to the bed that she was lying on were Fenrys and Lorcan. They both had their arms crossed in front of their chests and glares on their faces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Lorcan was normally scowling, Fenrys was not. She rubbed at her temples. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys slid over a tray with a cup of what looked to be tea, on the bedside table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Drink this.” his voice was pure command, with no room to argue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin rubbed at her eyes, and slowly, Aelin sat up in bed and brought the cup to her lips. She winced when the first of the drink met her tongue. She almost spat it right back into the cup, but one look on Fenrys’ face said that she was going to drink down the entire cup of ‘tea’ even if he had to force it down her throat. The drink smelled and looked fine but tasted disgusting. It tasted much like the gruel that Endovier had served to its slaves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finally finished the tea, her head cleared ever so slightly, even if her stomach was protesting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin coughed a couple of times, trying to force the gruel back down and not vomit. When Fenrys finally took pity on her and poured her a cup of water and handed her a piece of chocolate, her favourite kind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys couldn’t be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> mad right? If he still gave thought to her wellbeing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been two days Aelin.” his voice sounded resigned but mixed with a hint of worry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin watched as Fenrys dragged over a stuffed armchair to sit by her side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The entire palace has been rampant with activity these past two days. And I don’t know if you remember or not, but you were drunk, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>drunk. And what you did… wasn’t queenly, to say the least.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was being rebuked. But Fenrys wasn’t the type of person to make it long and hard for you, he was the type of person who said very little when it came to scoldings. But made sure that each word hit its mark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin let her head fall into her hands, she remembered, she remembered everything that she had done when she was drunk, everything that she had said, and everything that she had forced Lorcan to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked Fenrys and Lorcan straight in the eyes. “I’m so, very, sorry for, what I did,” and shaking her head she said, “I--I don’t know, what I was, thinking of.” She stopped shaking her head when the pounding returned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When neither male deigned to reply, she asked, “I--I was out for two days?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Fenrys replied shortly, still no answer from Lorcan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t blame them, she was shocked that they could even stand in the same room as her, let alone care for her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened? I want to know everything,” she said even though she was scared of the response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she was right to be scared. Fenrys told her, he omitted nothing. From the healer to Aedion visiting to Rowan’s frantic pacing and the ladies--Lysandra and Elide--and even the young girl, Evangeline working around the clock to help Aelin do everything that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>was supposed to be doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Fenrys finished his explanation. Aelin said again, “I’m sorry.” She looked towards Lorcan who had stayed silent during the duration of the entire time, this time, he just nodded. In acknowledgement, but not forgiveness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened, Aelin?” Fenrys asked softly,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin didn’t want to say it, but if anyone deserved to know, it was them. She couldn’t bear to meet their gazes any longer and looked at the soft silk sheets of Fenrys’ bed, their gazes were filled with reprimand that she knew they were barely keeping contained--but for her sake, she knew, they weren’t saying the things that they wanted to shout. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got a letter from Galan,” she closed her eyes for a moment then looked at the ceiling, sighing she said, “And I was afraid, to open it, it’s stupid, you don’t need to tell me, I know. It was cowardice,” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put her head in her hands yet again and continued, “but I was scared of what it would contain and I didn’t want to see it. It, written down, because somehow, I never wanted my cousin to find out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She covered her face with one hand. “You must think me so childish, Fenrys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause before Fenrys replied. “I don’t, </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t, but we just would’ve liked to know about it beforehand. We’re here for you, you know. We are your blood-sworn after all. You don’t have to keep everything to yourself all the time, and you don’t need to fight every battle on your own.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin opened one eye, “You don’t think it’s stupid to get annoyed over one letter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” his answer was firm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t think it’s dumb?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? You don’t think it’s stupid to burn down an entire gate in a fit of anger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… “ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed, and it felt so, so good. She hadn’t laughed in a while… in fact, she couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>remember </span>
  </em>
  <span>the last time she had laughed over a joke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys wasn’t laughing, but he was smiling, it was something at least. And Lorcan was still standing with his arms folded in front, but… </span>
  <em>
    <span>at least</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wasn’t glaring at her anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled, “Well, let’s get to work, I wouldn’t want my mate to be pissing on everything after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys and Lorcan both looked disheartened by her reply, for what reason she didn’t understand. It felt like she had failed some test that she didn’t know she would even be taking. She frowned. “What?” Her eyes darted between the two males. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pause, then Fenrys smiled an easy, usual grin, “Nothing, let’s... get to work, Aelin,”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Soooooooo.........<b> I updated this chapter </b> (a.k.a. completely changed it, lol).......</p><p>Here are the previous notes: Hello everyone!!!!! Here's another story update!!! Sorry, it's been taking so long......I'm super busy rn........Also, I have no idea if the second part of the story is confusing, but if it is, I might edit it later. Anyways, thank you to everyone who's actually been taking the time to read this suuuper cringey fic,..... it makes me suuuper happy, so THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!</p><p>--Again, ik that updates are taking so long........ughhhh...........and I'm suuuper sorry abt that, but again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being suuuuper patient and continuing to read this (suuuuuper cringey) fic....And thank you to everyone who's been leaving kudos and comments, they're super encouraging (and helpful), I never thought that this would get over 1k hits!!!! (I'm still smiling abt that btw, lol)..........but......TYSM!!!!! And....you're probably getting bored from reading these notes thingy so I'll stop, hope you enjoy!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Galan Ashryver, the Crowned Prince of Wendlyn, was watching the bustle and rush of the people--<em> his </em> people--on the docks through his window in the palace of Wendlyn. He was currently sipping his third <em> --or was it his sixth? He had long since lost count-- </em>cup of tea. </p><p>Two hours earlier, a messenger--the stupid fool--had decided to burst through the doors during one of his father’s--the King--meetings. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, the messenger then informed him, his father, and all of his father’s closest council members that Aelin Galathynius--Aelin <em> Ashryver </em>Galathynius--had made things “explode.”</p><p>And though the messenger couldn’t have possibly known of the damage that news would’ve caused for their relationships with Terrasen, Galan could not help but fault the messenger for what had happened next in the council room. </p><p>Although Galan was sure that some of the details of what had actually happened got lost on the way, he got the general gist of the message. Aelin had had a temper tantrum and blew up her own front gate. Making her seem like a tyrant just as bad as the Valg demons they had battled only months earlier. Was it <em> only </em> months? Gods, it felt like it had been years ago. It was a war that Wendlyn still felt today. Especially since it was something that Galan had entered <em> without </em> and directly <em> against </em>his father’s permission. </p><p>His father and all the other lords present had then raged at him and his foolishness for allying themselves with her, who in their eyes was little better than a <em> monster </em>. A monster. He had almost laughed, was she a monster for protecting the people that she loved against all the odds? Did you call someone a monster for being brave enough to take on someone they themselves had not dared? A monster for protecting the innocent? For sacrificing herself? No. If anything, it was they who were the monsters. Monsters for not protecting their family. After all, what else was family for? </p><p>He had committed treason for disobeying his father’s orders in going to war for Terrasen. And Galan was sure that the only reason he wasn’t half on his way to the gallows was because he was his father’s <em> only </em> son, and his parents were long past childbearing age. Sometimes, he wondered why his mother had even bothered trying to marry his father. His father, who was so entrenched in politics that sometimes he did not see what was before his very own eyes. To his father, the only thing that mattered was their <em> duty </em> to their people. But is it not also their <em> duty </em> to their family to help them when they need it most?</p><p>Those were all the things that he wished that he had had the nerve to shout back at his father. But, as the coward that he was, he had said none of those things. He had let his father berate him and send him to his room like he was still a little child. And now, he was silently cursing himself, while refilling his cup of tea.</p><p>He did not believe the messenger. He did not think that Aelin had had a ‘temper tantrum.’ He had met his cousin, she was not one to go so low as that. There were rumors of course that Aelin had been drunk. Drunk enough to come back to her palace with two of her blood-sworn, one of them unconscious apparently. But Galan had also seen Aelin drink enough alcohol for three fully grown fae males <em> and </em> act perfectly sober before--after the war when they had celebrated their victory. </p><p>As Galan continued pacing a track into the red velvet carpet, he wondered what in the world had set his cousin off kilter enough for her to apparently scare everyone in the Palace of Orynth half to death.</p><p>He had a vague suspicion of course, but he did not want to believe that his suspicions were true for it would mean that <em> he </em> was the cause of all this turmoil. But, as he had been staring out his window for well over three hours now, and had gone over every possible scenario as to why she had <em> brok-- </em>no, she did now break, she was just, healing… He had to consider the possibility of his suspicion. </p><p>Two weeks earlier, he had overheard from one of the guards in the palace talk about how the Queen of the Faerie had been captured and <em> tortured </em>by Maeve during the war. When Galan had heard of this, he had been shocked, and so he had endlessly questioned the guard who had said this. But when it became clear that the guard knew nothing more beyond the vague details of the Queen being kept in a coffin-like box, he left the guard and gone to write a letter to said Queen. It had been a very long letter, and since Galan had never been one who was good at controlling his temper--something that likely ran in his family bloodlines--he had immediately gotten one of the messengers to send said letter. </p><p>However, in the morning after, after his temper had cooled somewhat, he had instantly regretted sending that letter. But what could he have done to stop the letter? Especially when the messenger was already onboard a boat at sea. And so at the time, he had sat down and decided to forget about it. </p><p>But now, now, he knew what had set Aelin off balance. And it had been his fault for sending that letter. But, how could he explain <em> that </em> to his father? He would only succeed in making his father think her unstable and unfit to be Queen. After all, how are you supposed to explain that someone who had been deemed the ‘Queen who would bow to nothing and no one,’ had been set off by a few words? You couldn’t. And if he did, he would only succeed in making himself seem like a liar, or make everyone see Aelin like a child who didn’t know what she was doing.</p><p>And that was not something that Galan wanted to bring on his cousin--either of his cousins. Aedion and Aelin were two sides of the same coin, and Galan knew that Aedion would always support Aelin no matter what happened, he was the Lion’s son for a reason after all. But Galan also knew that part of the reason that he did not want to see Terrasen fall is because of his own conscience. </p><p>Galan’s father had never welcomed Aedion fully into their family. And although Glaston had made Aedion a prince of Wendlyn, he did not accept him. Galan’s father was the one who had scorned at his sister the most when she had given birth to a bastard. It was part of the reason, Galan was sure, why Aedion’s mother had sent him to Terrasen to be raised and not Wendlyn. </p><p>Aedion had only been three when his mother had died, and Galan had been five. Galan had held his cousin’s hand while his mother’s soul left her body. But even before Aedion’s mother had died, Aedion had held no respect in court, he was scorned and laughed about by all. They had made his life a living hell, and Aedion had only been three, but already knew that he was not welcome. </p><p>It was part of the reason why Galan’s four-year-old self had decided to befriend him. It had started out because of pity--because of the fact that Aedion had had no other friends, but later, it had been because Galan truly cared for Aedion. And even though his father had always frowned upon their camaraderie. Galan had written Aedion letters nearly everyday after he had left. And Aedion had done the same. Galan still had a stack of letters from Aedion in his room--letters that he would never throw away. </p><p>Galan had only been twelve, Aedion ten, when he watched the letters slow to a trickle and then stop all together. The last couple of letters that he had received from Aedion had been angry, and written as if Aedion’s temper had gotten the better of him. It was those letters that had haunted and chased him in his slumbers. But it was also because of those last few letters that had shaped Galan into becoming who he was today. He was not his father, no, and <em>only</em> because of those letters. </p><p>At the time, Galan had not understood the anger beneath Aedion’s writings, but years later understanding slowly came to dawn upon him. </p><p>The relationships between Terrasen and Wendlyn had always been tense at best, and hostile at worst. The betrothal between Evalin and Rhoe was supposed to soothe the relationships, but it seemed to only fuel the anger at both ends of the rope. But their two countries would never open fire on each other, not when they were separated by an ocean’s length. If both their countries ever decided to go to war with each other, the damage would be catastrophic, and <em>neither</em> would prevail and win. It would only end up being a waste of lives--thousands of them. But, when Terrasen’s tensions not only became taunt with Wendlyn, it had become so with Doranelle and Adarlan. Both of which were very powerful and a far greater threat to Terrasen than Wendlyn would ever be.</p><p>Galan had remembered how he had admired Evalin from the stories that he would overhear his father talking about. About how Evalin had fought for demi-fae rights against Maeve. And while most children’s heroes had been their parents, his wasn’t, Galan’s hero had been Evalin. And when he was younger he had always dreamed of one day being courageous enough to be just as good a person as Evalin had been. He could still feel the pain deep inside him from when Galan’s father had sat down with him and explained how Evalin had died. Assassinated. And that Terrasen had fallen. </p><p>At the time, he did not know of the stand that Terrasen had taken on the Plains of Theralis. He had thought that Terrasen had fallen overnight. But, no, it had not. They had asked for aid. Later, nearly five years later--five years <em> too late </em> --he would find out that a messenger had begged-- <em> begged </em>--on their hands and knees in front of his father for their aid. And that his father had adamantly refused, because… Maeve had asked them not to. </p><p>And that was, perhaps, the deepest betrayal that Galan had ever witnessed. For a man who claimed that duty was his calling, to turn his back on his very own blood and family. </p><p>So, when Galan had gotten a plea for aid once again, it had not taken much convincing for him. When he had received that small note from Aelin, it was like the gods had decided to give him a chance to redeem himself from his father’s mistakes. </p><p>But, it was like the gods were mocking him now, for Aelin--<em> Aelin </em> --had been tortured while <em> he </em> had thought that she had left her kingdom to rot. Aelin had spent <em> two months </em> with Maeve. While his father had been contently cooped up in his palace. </p><p>If they had been more vigilant, if they had been more cautious, they could’ve gotten her out earlier--<em> much </em>earlier. </p><p>It was guilt that he was feeling, yes. Guilt for not being able to help Aelin as she would have helped them. And though he knew that she was grateful for their support in the war, he also knew that she had not trusted him to come. And that was like an arrow to the chest for him. And as Galan continued to stare out the window, as evening turned into night, he could not help but curse his father soundly, yet again.  </p><p> </p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> </p><p>Rowan Whitethorn was furiously finishing the letters that needed to be written at a maddening pace in his office when a familiar scent hit him from beyond the thick oak doors. A scent that smelt of lemon, and verbena, and jasmine, and ever so slightly of ash. Aelin’s scent. <em> His </em>mate’s scent. </p><p>He nearly spilt ink all over the stack of letters that he had just written when she opened the doors and he saw her face. </p><p>They were tear streaked as if she had been crying but pretending that she hadn’t been. She looked directly into his eyes without saying anything and he knew that she understood what was written in his eyes, things that he would never need to say out loud.</p><p>No, he did not blame her. No, he had not meant what he had said. And yes, he still loved her, yes, he would still stand by her side to whatever end no matter what happened. </p><p>And as Aelin looked and understood, she closed the door behind her and sank down onto the floor and whispered so quietly that Rowan would not have caught if he did not have the heightened senses of a fae. </p><p>“I don’t deserve you, Rowan.”</p><p>Those words left his throat dry.</p><p>This was his <em> mate </em> , his <em> Fireheart </em> , his <em> queen </em>. And all his instincts were screaming at him to comfort her, to contradict her, to reassure her. But, the other side of him knew that that was not what Aelin needed right now. </p><p>And so, he walked over to where Aelin sat huddled next to the door. And knelt in front of her and gently lifted her chin to face him.</p><p>“Why Fireheart? Why don’t you deserve me?”</p><p>Aelin tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She continued in a whisper, “Because you’re noble and deserve every drop of princely blood in your veins.”</p><p>“And you don’t?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Why Fireheart?” he asked, even though every word that she said continued to pierce and splinter his stone cold heart. </p><p>“Because… because, I make bad decisions. And people get scared, get hurt, and die because of those decisions, Rowan.” she said as her voice broke on the last part.</p><p>And if Rowan’s heart had been broken before, it was shattered now. His Fireheart thought herself not good enough to be queen. His mate who had screamed endlessly into the night from Maeve’s <em> administrations </em>, thinking that no one would come for her, and that she would have to endure it continuously for centuries on end. Did not think that she was a good person.</p><p>“You’re the bravest and most selfless person that I know, Aelin. And everyone makes mistakes, Aelin, you can’t blame yourself for something as small as that.” he said, with all the fierceness and conviction in the world.</p><p>A pause, then, “I know, Rowan… it’s just, so hard, I never thought it would be this hard, Rowan.” Aelin murmured, tears glistening on her cheeks, that glowed from the soft luminescence from the moonlight outside the window. </p><p>“It’s just… I never cared, Rowan… about all those people that I killed before… all those casualties that were never supposed to happen… those people that are only dead because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I didn’t care before, but now, it’s like I can’t stop thinking about them, and their faces.” she continued, and when Rowan looked at her face, he suddenly realized how tired she looked. Tired from fighting, from continuing, from starting over and rebuilding.</p><p>He had heard of battle fever before, of how some soldiers grew restless after the war because they just didn’t know <em> how </em>to live in peace again. They had been fighting and going on the defensive for so long that they forgot how to stop: always being ready for a fight, always being alert for signs of danger.</p><p>And Rowan wondered if that was what was happening to his mate. In war, there was no time to think, no time to reconsider, or overanalyze. In war, you had to be ready, to attack, to defend, to retreat. But, in peacetime, you had time, and when all that action was over, it was all some people could do, not to collapse in on themselves. </p><p>As Rowan felt Aelin’s weight shift and lean into him. Rowan, for the first time in a long time, did not know how to comfort his mate. He did not know what he could say that would make her stop blaming herself for all the deaths that had happened. Those casualties, from the innocent, to the wicked. </p><p>And so, he breathed into his mate’s pointed ear, “Together, Fireheart, to whatever end.” For that was the promise that they had first made to each other when they had found each other broken and lost.</p><p>Rowan would wait by his mate’s side, he would be patient, he would support her in whatever decisions that she made.</p><p>He had had centuries time to mourn for Lyria, and he was sure that the only reason why he had not continued drifting in time and space was because of Maeve. </p><p>But, just when he thought that Aelin had drifted off to sleep, she spoke up, almost in a half-daze, “If you don’t blame me, then why did you say those things, Rowan?”</p><p>Her eyes were shining with more unshed tears as her turquoise-gold eyes looked into his pine-green ones. </p><p>But, this at least, was one truth that he knew that he <em> had to </em> tell his mate out loud.</p><p>“Because, Aelin, when the guard told me that the front gate was burning down, he didn’t specify <em> who </em> burned it. I thought… I thought…” he did not finish his sentence but it looked as if his mate understood.</p><p>“Because it was the same gate that Maeve was killed in front of. And you thought that it was her who had burned it down.” she continued for him, when he could not finish. </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p><em> Gods </em> , yes. He had thought that by some disaster they had not killed her enough, and that she had come back to haunt them all. No doubt who <em> she, </em>he talking about. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Rowan.”</p><p>He looked down at his mate’s face still looking up at him from his lap. “You have nothing to apologize for. I shouldn’t have said those things. I was scared, so scared of what might’ve happened that I took it out on the nearest outlet, which happened to be you and--” Gods, he was rambling now. He was a male who had built a wall around himself for centuries and only a few seconds looking at his mate’s eyes seemed to tear it all down as if it had never even been there in the first place. </p><p>Aelin smiled a small smile, which was really just the upturning of one side of her lips. He stopped speaking and his mouth went dry as he looked at the soft curve of his mate’s smile. He would sell himself to the dark god if he could continue to always keep her happy. Once, Aelin might’ve laughed and teased him for his rambling, but that was also before Maeve. And though Aelin pretended to be herself when the others were around, he was glad at least that she did not pretend with him. </p><p>And as they sat there by that door in the night, as the darkness of the sky revealed the thousands of stars that were shining brightly in the sky, Rowan made himself a promise. One that he knew he would be able to keep, and as he looked out the window and saw the faint glow of the fire between the antlers of the constellation of the Lord of the North in the night sky, Rowan thought that it seemed like that star seemed to shine ever so slightly brighter--if only for a little while.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I never thought that I'd end up making a part 10 for this story and that ppl would actually read it, so this is kinda surreal. </p>
<p>Let me know if it's confusing! Hope you enjoy!</p>
<p>Ty for all the kudos and comments :) !</p>
<p>
  <b> Also, I completely changed the previous chapter, so........ </b>
</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His cousin was as still as a statue. She did not flinch, or cower, or rage, or even just <em> react </em> in any way, as Aedion shouted at her. </p>
<p>She took it all in as Aedion continued screaming at her in fury. And some part of him--the part that was <em> not </em>angry--admired her for that. </p>
<p>“Do you have <em> any idea </em> what you’ve done?” he yelled, “Or did you just gallant around pretending that you were still just some <em> nameless </em> princess and did not have eyes watching <em> your </em> every move and action? What did you <em> think </em> would happen when you snuck out like that? That you could just <em> prance </em> around like Celaena Sardothien without a care in the world?”</p>
<p>After the words were out, he immediately realized his mistake. But Aelin did not rage at him, nor did she crumble in on herself, for that matter. </p>
<p>Instead, Aelin lifted her chin higher, and her back was still infuriatingly straight. She was seated on her office table, and the others in her inner circle were there in her office with them, watching as Aedion bellowed at her. </p>
<p>Her silver-haired prince was behind her, and he started to let out a growl, ready to defend his mate from the insult, when Aelin calmly raised a hand. The message was clear, and Rowan stopped snarling, but he continued to watch Aedion as if he were a cat ready to pounce. And if Aedion were in any other mood, he might’ve wondered why in the world Rowan had not already attacked Fenrys and Lorcan, for their part in whatever had happened to Aelin that night. </p>
<p>“I already apologized, cousin,” she said evenly, “I will not do so again.”</p>
<p>He snorted. He couldn’t help himself. “And yet, I don’t recall <em> accepting </em> said apology.”</p>
<p>Again, that slight jutting of the chin. “If I waited for everyone to accept my apologies Aedion, I would be repenting for a <em> very </em>long time.”</p>
<p>Aedion heard a snicker from behind. Probably from Fenrys, but it could’ve been from Lysandra too, but Aedion wasn’t in the mood for jokes, he just glared at her. </p>
<p>“It won’t happen again, you have my word, Aedion.”</p>
<p>This time though, he did laugh, though it was not a sound of joy. “And we’ve all seen how good your word is, <em> Majesty </em>.” </p>
<p>He spat the last word out, as if it tasted bitter on his tongue. And even though a part of him regretted immediately saying those things and wanting to take it back, another part of him, the bigger, bitter part, refused to let him take it back. </p>
<p>This part of him was the same part of him that reveled in the deaths that he accounted to his name, the part of him that had given him the nickname of ‘Wolf of the North.’ This part of him wanted to see his cousin squirm and fidget and become unable to hold eye contact, for all that she had not trusted him during the war, for all those wounds still left unhealed.  </p>
<p>Again, instead, she looked at him squarely in the eyes. “Then, let us change that.”</p>
<p>And despite the dominant fae male in him, he was the one who looked away first. Unable to hold the fierceness of his cousin’s stare. </p>
<p>But, unwilling to let his cousin completely off the hook so easily, he said venomously, “Well then, why don’t you solve our ‘little’ problem, that involves a certain burned gate.”</p>
<p>For indeed, the fear in this castle was palpable enough that with his heightened fae senses, sometimes it was all he could do, <em> not </em> to throw up. The staff and attendants in court shivered when he walked by, and refused to make eye contact for fear of incurring his wrath. And with the war with Adarlan so recently over, and a stark reminder of what life had been during the dark years of Terrasen’s fall, it was no wonder, everyone was scared. </p>
<p>And all because of this female, this <em> Queen </em> before him. It was all he could do not to wring his cousin’s neck for being so <em> stupid </em> , so <em> foolish </em> , and so <em> ignorant </em>. </p>
<p>Yes, he<em> loved </em> his cousin. And he would lay his life down for her. But sometimes, he couldn’t help the anger that seeped into him, because of that feeling of hopelessness and powerlessness. It was the same feeling that he had experienced from when they had found Aelin’s shirt, splattered with flecks of blood, from when she had been <em> kidnapped </em> by Maeve. And <em> he </em>wasn’t even there when it had happened.</p>
<p>Though he would always serve her, and he would serve her well, Aedion wasn’t sure how long he could go on loving someone that did not trust him. And though Aedion knew that Aelin shared the vast majority of her plans with them, sometimes, he could not help but feel like a fly tangled in a spider’s web. </p>
<p>She was not like any other Queen, and he was grateful for that. She did not care about rank or status and she did not enforce titles or protocols. And for that alone, Aedion would’ve given his soul up for her a million times over. </p>
<p>But despite all that, it still felt like she was weaving traps and plots, and that everyone else were just too dumb to realize it. And, even though Aedion hated himself after, he couldn’t help it when sometimes he would spend hours wondering <em> what the f*ck his cousin was up to next </em>. </p>
<p>And, as if to prove his point, his cousin answered him in the most cryptic way she could’ve possibly chosen to. </p>
<p>Without even looking at her, he could hear the smile on her lips when she spoke. </p>
<p>“We will host a contest, a very interesting contest to solve <em> that </em>‘little’ problem.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was<em> not mad </em> at Aelin. He was <em> not mad </em>at the golden-haired female before him. His Queen, and friend. </p>
<p>Those were the things that Fenrys had repeated over and over again in his head from the time that Aelin had woken up, last night, to his current position by the wall in her office, the morning after, as the younger wolf screamed at her.</p>
<p>No, he was <em> not mad </em> at her. He had <em> forgiven </em> her after all, and they would move on from that. He was <em> not mad </em> at her. He was <em> not mad </em> , period. He was just… <em> annoyed </em>… at her… </p>
<p>Annoyed that she had not given them more information so that <em> they </em> could actually be a <em> part </em> of her planning. Annoyed that she had not given them more details so that <em> they </em> could actually <em> help </em> her and be of <em> use </em>to her. </p>
<p>Protect. Serve. Cherish. Those were the things that were urging him on, deep from the very core of his--<em> very </em> much--fae male. But <em> how </em> was he supposed to do that when he had the most secretive and independent Queen in this godforsaken world? It was almost like all the gods were having a jest at his expense. </p>
<p>He loved her, not as a lover, but as a loyal subject. And he would jump in front of a sword for her without hesitation, on this day or <em> any </em>day, if need be. She was after all the reason why he was still alive. And she was also the reason why he even bothered to continue living, since each day in Terrasen without his brother, felt like a pike through his heart, over and over again.</p>
<p>Sometimes it was all he could do not to take one of his daggers, and end the pain right then and there. But whenever he thought about that, he would also be reminded of the--<em> his </em> --golden-haired queen, who had walked through hell and back, over and over again for her people. And <em> that </em>, he thought, was someone worth fighting for. </p>
<p>As Rowan had once said, she was one flame in a sea of darkness, but she was one flame that was willing to fight and do what it takes, for peace to be had. </p>
<p>So, he swallowed down his tears and ocean of self-pity and focused on aiding his queen as best as he could. </p>
<p>He pulled himself back into the present in time to watch as Aelin leaned back against her mate, and clasped her hands together in front of her, with a smile of one that already knew they had won.  </p>
<p>“We’ll host a contest for the best artistic design in all of Terrasen to use on our front gate. And we’ll have the <em> people </em> of Terrasen vote for their favourite design. Then, we’ll get someone to build a gate with whatever design that the people chose.” She looked towards her general, who was now gaping at her. “I think, that <em> that </em>should solve our current little problem with the burnt gate.”</p>
<p>Yes. It would indeed. And unlike the others here in her office, Fenrys didn’t have the energy to feel anything other than numb. If anything, he had been expecting her to come up with something as brilliant as that. </p>
<p>Fenrys didn’t need to have been an ambassador previously to what was probably the most scheming, and evil queen in the world, to know that Aelin’s strategy would work in her favor. He didn’t need to be over a hundred years old to see the wiseness of her action.</p>
<p>By hosting a contest, they would distract the people of Terrasen from being afraid of their queen. And they could also pass Aelin’s little ‘outburst’ as nothing more than a ploy to call attention to the contest that she would end up hosting later on. </p>
<p>Yes, this would save their alliances to all of their allies, here in Terrasen and across the seas. </p>
<p>And though Fenrys couldn’t have thought of a better idea himself. He couldn’t help but feel hollow at how she had not consulted him in how to fix things before just deciding herself. But… he should have known better, what did he expect after all? It wasn’t like Aelin after all to share her worries or concerns with them. </p>
<p>And from the shock that radiated in the others’ scents, they still hadn’t been able to wrap their heads around the brilliancy of a plan that was so simple, yet <em> so perfect </em> . Even Rowan’s scent was surprised, and once, Fenrys might’ve questioned why Aelin had not told her mate of her plans. But <em> that </em>was once, before he had lost his brother… </p>
<p>Now though, his curiosity was nothing but a vague fluttering of thoughts that disappeared as soon as Fenrys closed his eyes. It was hard, just so damn hard to stay in the present all the time. Especially since the only thing that he ever wanted to do now was to sleep. But even then, he was not safe, for it was Connall’s last moments and words that chased and followed him then. </p>
<p>Only in his dreams was Connall alive. And only there did his brother torture him with words that would make Fenrys rather walk on burning coals than face his brother again. </p>
<p>He was tired, of pretending and of continuing on. </p>
<p>And he was just so, so lonely. But they--the others--would never understand, fae pregnancies were rare enough, and twins were virtually unheard of. They would never understand what it was like to lose the other part of you. </p>
<p>And so, Fenrys slipped back on the mask of arrogance and indifference, the one that came with an endless stream of a sadistic kind of humour and grin. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was almost laughable how once, he had mocked her intelligence and brightness. Calling her instead a girl who would turn old and gray one day. </p>
<p>But now, as he took in her plan with all his five centuries of experience, he couldn’t help the feeling that ignited deep in his chest. And it wasn’t a feeling that Lorcan was used to. Pride. Yes, he was feeling pride. Pride that he was serving what was arguably the most honourable and clever queen in the entire world. A feeling that, he noted, wasn’t something that he had experienced with Maeve. </p>
<p>However, as soon as his queen had said her part, and the planning had begun, she seemed to withdraw in on herself. Sometimes, Lorcan thought, it was like she had two different personalities. One in which she exuded confidence and kindness, and the other, where she was quiet and silent--the queen that they had all started seeing after her time spent with <em> two </em> sadists. <em> Because of him, </em> was what he didn’t need to add. </p>
<p>And Lorcan… he desperately wanted to help her in some way. <em> And it was most definitely </em> not <em> because of guilt </em>, or at least, that was what he continuously told himself. </p>
<p>So, when the others started filing out of her office, he lingered behind. </p>
<p>“Can I help you with something?” she asked, walking up to him. </p>
<p>And maybe it was only to him, but her voice sounded distant, as if it came from a great distance. </p>
<p>“May I speak with you, Majesty?” he replied demurely.</p>
<p>“Of course, why don’t you walk with me? And you can call me Aelin, you know.” Again, there was that distance in her voice, like she was somewhere between awake and asleep. </p>
<p>He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but as he did not know how to phrase such a question, he simply nodded his head in agreement. </p>
<p>“Lovely.” Again that hollow quality to her voice. </p>
<p>And as they walked through the halls in the Palace of Orynth, Lorcan could practically<em> feel </em> the fear that radiated off of the guards standing watch in the halls.</p>
<p>But if Aelin noticed it, she gave no indication. </p>
<p>“So, what was this <em> thing </em>you’d like to discuss with me?” she asked when they had already walked a good distance in silence. </p>
<p>“It’s about Vaughan actually.”</p>
<p>“Vaughan?” And if there was a prize for how quickly a person regained their composure, Lorcan was sure that Aelin would’ve won it. And when he looked back at her face, it was clear, as if the cloudiness that had been in her eyes only moments before, had never even existed. </p>
<p>“Ah, yes,” she said, “I was actually going to talk to you about that, I want you and Fenrys to go and find Vaughan since our spies have proved that he’s rather elusive to track down.” </p>
<p>“Sorry?” Lorcan asked, sure that he had not heard right. </p>
<p>She stopped, and looked at him, and he was forced to stop with her--it would not do to walk past his liege with the guards looking on after all.</p>
<p>“To find Vaughan with Fenrys,” she responded, carefully enunciating each syllable as if he was some dimwit child.  </p>
<p>“With Fenrys?” and even he could hear the disbelief in his own voice. </p>
<p>“Yes. I thought you two had made up your differences.” she replied smoothly. </p>
<p>“We did. But…” </p>
<p>“Then, I do not see a problem.” she interrupted, and continued walking again. And Lorcan was forced to catch up with her so that he would not be left behind. </p>
<p>Oh, she was a b!tch. Most definitely a b!tch. There was no f*cking way that this was <em>not</em> <em>her </em>version of ‘subtle’ meddling. First, telling Fenrys to confide in him, and now, this… </p>
<p>“You should let Fenrys know, since you two will be leaving within the week.” Interrupting his thoughts yet again. </p>
<p>“Surely, there’s someone else…” he tried, still not quite believing of what she had just asked of him--<em> them. </em> </p>
<p>“Am I <em> not </em> your queen?” she asked. </p>
<p>A question. A carefully asked question.</p>
<p>“Of course you are, Majesty.” he said without hesitation. </p>
<p>“Well then, I wish for <em> you </em> and Fenrys to find Vaughan <em> together </em>, since you’ll end up needing his speed with his magic, unless… you want to spend a year on a goose chase.”</p>
<p>And that was that. From the look on her face, Lorcan would not be able to convince her otherwise. </p>
<p>Later that day, when he went to find Fenrys to tell him of what their queen had ordered--not through the blood oath, but simply as how a queen would order her subjects--Fenrys did not seem at all surprised. Which only seemed to baffle Lorcan. </p>
<p>The only sign of Fenrys’ displeasure was the slight tightening of the lips, but beyond that, the younger male showed no other signs of emotions. It was unnerving, in all his years that Lorcan had tried to teach the young wolf to hide his feelings, Lorcan had never succeeded, but now, it seemed that Fenrys had mastered the skill, <em> without </em> any training <em> . </em> </p>
<p> “Very well,” the White Wolf of Terrasen said, when Lorcan had at last finished explaining, “We shall leave two days from today.”</p>
<p>And when Lorcan had been shocked at how easily Fenrys had accepted the order, he just stood there, staring at the younger male. </p>
<p>Which only incited Fenrys to drawl in a bored tone, “Do you intend to continuing standing there like a fool in my office?”</p>
<p>And with that, Lorcan left, making sure to slam the door shut on the way out. But for once in all of his five centuries, <em> he </em> felt like the pupil, and <em> they </em> the masters. Lorcan could not say that it was a feeling he liked very much. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! So.....it's been a while......</p><p>But......here's the next chapter!!!</p><p>--Let me know if it was confusing :) And, as always, thanks for reading!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They found Vaughan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out back, passed out drunk, behind a small tavern in what was probably one of the most run-down towns in Terrasen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A town so small, that it did not have any formal name. Instead, it was called the slum of Alynthi--the nearest town nearby.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was no wonder that they had not been able to find Vaughan from all the scouts and spies that they had sent out. Who would’ve thought after all that the former Osprey of Doranelle would end up stoned enough to collapse almost immediately after being </span>
  <em>
    <span>kicked </span>
  </em>
  <span>out of the tavern? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And from the state of Vaughan’s clothes, it would seem that this--whatever you could call this--was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>just a one time thing. Especially since the </span>
  <em>
    <span>smell</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the things that were on Vaughan, and even just the </span>
  <em>
    <span>smell of </span>
  </em>
  <span>Vaughan, was so repulsive, that if Lorcan had not been a trained warrior, he might’ve vomited. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys however, seemed to have no luck in holding back his stomach, as he promptly emptied out the contents of their last meal on the ground, which only added to the putrid smell in the back alley of the small tavern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if Lorcan had not seen Vaughan pass out with his very own eyes, he might’ve thought the male clever for having found a method to conceal his scent from even the best of hunters. For </span>
  <em>
    <span>who on earth would be mad enough to suggest that </span>
  </em>
  <span>this </span>
  <em>
    <span>person was the Osprey who had once been a part of Maeve’s legendary cabal?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And this, Lorcan thought, would probably be one of the only times in which he would ever regret having all his fae senses. Especially since his eyesight was still as sharp as ever despite the fact that it was night, with the clouds covering the moon. And his eyes filled his mind with images that Lorcan did not think he would be able to forget, even in a thousand years. Not to mention the fact that his fae instincts were alerting him of</span>
  <em>
    <span> exactly what </span>
  </em>
  <span>all the things that littered the small, dank alleyway were--things that he had no wish to know. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gods, sh!t, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>sh!t</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Fenrys said, when he had at last finished heaving the contents of his stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Lorcan was inclined to agree. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Lorcan had not been with Fenrys himself, he might’ve berated the younger male for having so easily succumbed to disgust and vomit. But as it was, he himself, could hardly peel his lips apart for fear of what might happen if he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had been hunting for Vaughan for a good deal of the week, believing that the male was fleeing for fear of being trapped again with a blood oath. But from the state of things, Lorcan didn’t think that Vaughan could count to ten without mixing up the numbers, let alone have the foresight to know that people were looking for him, and to run. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they had at last decided to visit some of the smaller towns on the off chance that Vaughan had thought to visit them for news of events that were happening. They had caught Vaughan’s scent from one of the many pine trees in Terrasen. And from there, they had been able to follow Vaughan’s tracks, and watched as shouting and what seemed to be fighting sounded from the bar. Before they finally saw their old friend appear, well, they saw Vaughan quite literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>thrown out </span>
  </em>
  <span>of the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We… should probably move him to a more secure place…” Fenrys said, breaking the silence of the shock that they both felt at having seen their friend in </span>
  <em>
    <span>this state</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And without even having to look at Fenrys, Lorcan knew that Fenrys looked pale and sick and full of something that Lorcan would never fully understand from all the times that Fenrys had spent with Maeve--in the bedroom, was what he did not need to add. </span>
</p><p><span>For it was because of Maeve that Vaughan was in the state that he was in now. Because of Maeve, that Vaughan had felt the </span><em><span>need to</span></em> <em><span>just forget</span></em><span>. Because of Maeve, for the soul wound that she had dealt him, dealt them all. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin was dimly aware of the ceramic cup that slipped from her hand and shattered on the white stone floor of her private dining room as her mind processed what she had just heard Aedion say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They did… </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She all but growled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wendlyn has withdrawn support in your initiative for demi-fae housing and rights.” Her cousin said, slowly as if each word physically pained him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her initiative of finishing what her mother had started. Of creating demi-fae rights that prevented the abuse and violence that these demi-fae faced, both from the citizens of Wendlyn, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> from Doranelle. Of increasing more ‘safe-houses’ like Mistmead so that the demi-fae did not have to travel nearly as far to find safety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They can’t.” Her mate breathed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they could. It was within every </span>
  <em>
    <span>right </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>power </span>
  </em>
  <span>of her ‘uncle,’ to withdraw from the treaties and agreements that she had so painstakingly made to protect the demi-fae--one of the first things that she did when she first became queen. In honour of her mother, she had said. But, it was so much more than that, what the demi-fae faced, and suffered, what </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lorcan </span>
  </em>
  <span>had gone through… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The temperature in the room spiked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does </span>
  <em>
    <span>Glaston </span>
  </em>
  <span>realize that </span>
  <em>
    <span>he himself </span>
  </em>
  <span>is demi-fae?” She all but hissed at her cousin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her cousin held up his hands, “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, but, yes. I’m sure that he does.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion opened his mouth, but closed it again, as if there was something that barred him from saying what he wanted to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if she had been in any other mood, she might’ve considered her steps and actions carefully. But, oh, she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>not in the mood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say it, Aedion,” she snapped, “If you’ve got something to say, then say it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aedion swallowed hard, but didn’t say anything, probably knowing that it was better to stay silent, than to fuel her temper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Regardless, Aelin still knew what her cousin had wanted to add. His eyes seemed to dance with the words: </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is because of the incident at the gate. This was done because of spite and retaliation. This is because--</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin looked away, not wanting to see more of the accusatory words in Aedion’s eyes. There had once been a time where Aedion would’ve supported her no matter what, where Aedion wouldn’t have ever blamed her for anything, but that was also before. Before, she had schemed and roped Lysandra in, and lied to them all. Before, she had breached that trust that her cousin had placed in her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There would still be a lot more healing to be done before that trust could be recovered. But, later… because right now, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she had to focus on the new bit of information that their spies had discovered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mind caught on the word, </span>
  <em>
    <span>spies. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Spies, not messenger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She exhaled a breath of relief. There was still time to recover the treaties they had made only months before. Especially since they had not formally sent the letter of withdrawal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her vision cleared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It focused on a point: Aedion. She eyed her cousin up and down, examining, measuring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Aedion opened his mouth, no doubt to ask what she was thinking of, she spoke. Her voice was the picture of calm, unruffled calculation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need you to write a letter, Aedion,” she started, her voice utterly smooth, as if she had not been snarling only moments before, “And make it the best letter that Galan has ever read before” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aelin knew she piqued Aedion’s interest, when his scent shifted, but Aedion narrowed his eyes. “And what, exactly would you have me include in that letter?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A slow smile curved her lips. She knew there was nothing human in the look she gave her cousin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell Galan, how much I appreciated his letter, and excuse me for not replying sooner. Also, tell Galan, how… excited I am to implement the new laws that would finish off my mother’s legacy. The rest,” she shrugged, “is up to you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two thoughts went through Vaughan’s mind when he awoke back to consciousness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One, he was not in the same place that he was last night. And two, he didn’t know where he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took him a moment before his mind reoriented itself and he remembered what had happened last night before passing out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But a more pressing matter took shape, as his sluggish mind realized that he was lying on what felt like a plank of wood, </span>
  <em>
    <span>on a moving </span>
  </em>
  <span>plank of wood. Which must have meant that wherever he was, he was being transported somewhere in a wagon. Though, his captors must’ve been pretty dull if they didn’t even think to tie him up, and leave in a wagon with an </span>
  <em>
    <span>open top </span>
  </em>
  <span>no less! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had Vaughan had been sober he might’ve recognized the two scents that were intertwined in his clothes from when they had probably carried him, but as it was, Vaughan’s weary mind was only able to process the fact that one, the wagon had stopped moving, which likely meant that they were going to be stopping somewhere, and two, there were voices of two men talking, though it sounded much more like arguing to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was not much however, that he was able to process before his eyes rolled back in their sockets, and Vaughan found darkness again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vaughan awoke a second time, this time finding that his head was much clearer than it had been last time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he opened his eyes, he found that it was dark outside again. Whereas earlier, it had been light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was still unbound, and someone had draped a heavy blanket over him--no doubt to protect against Terrasen’s cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As more of his senses came into focus, he saw from the corner of his eyes, a flash of light, before someone came into focus. Not just someone however, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fenrys</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His old friend looked different somehow, older and yet, brighter, happier even. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And instead of Fenrys’ normal plait, his golden hair was unbound, and Vaughan noticed the two twin scars that ran down the length of his cheeks, which instead of making Fenrys look any less stunning, only seemed to enhance the Wolf’s beauty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, when Fenrys spoke, Vaughan knew that he was still the same wolf that he had remembered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m glad to see that your lazy a*s is finally awake,” Fenrys drawled, the voice somehow being equal parts arrogant and amused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys. The shock alone at seeing his old friend was enough for Vaughan’s chest to close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, another scent lingered nearby. Another, familiar scent, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lorcan</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The male he had been sent out to hunt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaughan’s breath caught again. He had expected to never see his two friends--if you could call it that--ever again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was almost enough to send him into tears. Almost. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, instead of embracing his old friends, he made himself sit up, and ask instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you taking me?” His voice was cool, cold even. Despite the fact that his insides were quickly bubbling up with fear and worry and excitement in equal measures. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fenrys raised an eyebrow, but answered his question. “Orynth, why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Orynth, to where no doubt the queen of fire and ember would be waiting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The queen who had killed </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> demon queen. And though, Vaughan supposed that he had much to thank this new queen, he also had much to fear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What would </span>
  <em>
    <span>Queen Aelin </span>
  </em>
  <span>want to do with him? Especially since it would seem that she had spent much effort in finding him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the question that had constantly whirred through his mind, during the times that he had been sober at least. His mind only ever came to one conclusion however: the blood oath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was a strong and powerful male, and though perhaps he was not as powerful as Fenrys or Lorcan was. He was centuries old, and possessed knowledge that any monarch would wish to have on their side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, he had sworn the blood oath once in his life, and it was the biggest mistake that he had ever made. Now that he was finally free… he had no wish to bind himself to another again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is… there a problem with that?” Fenrys asked hesitantly, interrupting his stream of thoughts, his friend’s eyes were full of concern that he did not voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaughan started to shake his head, but stopped when the world started to spin again. “No,” he said instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But something in his voice must have sounded defeated, for Fenrys added, “You don’t have to come with us, you know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, perhaps not, but… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would she punish you if you did not bring me to her?” There was no doubt who ‘she’ that he was referring to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, Fenrys tipped his head back and laughed. Though any amusement on Fenrys’ face faded when he saw that Vaughan was completely serious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Is… that what you really think that she would do?” Fenrys said, a shadow darkening his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, she wouldn’t,” Fenrys continued without waiting for Vaughan to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “She’d probably punish us though, if we brought you by force.” Another voice drawled, from the driver seat of the wagon, Lorcan’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps, but Vaughan also knew first-hand how restricting and controlling a blood oath could be. For all he knew, the words that Fenrys and Lorcan spoke, had been put in their throats. After all, how was it possible that out of everyone who had faced Maeve, only </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>would be able to walk out? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaughan had heard stories of the Queen of Terrasen’s graciousness and kindness, but… Vaughan had found them hard to believe, especially after all the good things that had been said about Maeve and </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>Maeve really was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> since not more than a week ago, he had heard stories of Queen Aelin burning down her own front gate. And though, Vaughan knew that the people of Terrasen were now laughing at how clever it was of their queen to display that sort of magic to call to attention the contest that Her Majesty was apparently now hosting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaughan also knew that even the best actors would sometimes slip… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, he said, “I will go with you to Orynth.” To see your queen, though he didn’t add. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And though Fenrys smiled with joy at Vaughan’s answer. Vaughan couldn’t help but feel like he was entering a hornet’s nest. But… what choice did he have if he did not want his friends to get hurt more than they already were? </span>
</p>
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